A World Worth Looking For, A World Worth Finding
by NormaJean Beausoleil
Summary: Akuroku, Soriku. Intrigue and Romance, under the sea! Rated T for homosexual romantic pairings between sailors and mermen. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1: Reflections

A World Worth Looking For, A World Worth Finding

**A/N:1. I don't own kingdom hearts.**

** 2. This story is rated T for homosexual romantic couples, and probably language and maybe allusions to sex. I'm not really sure where it's going to go right now. I have a loose outline, and an idea for a long epilogue or a short sequel. We'll see.**

** 3. I know I have 2 other outstanding stories right now. I just got inspired on this one. Itsy Bitsy Spider and He's Gone Away will be finished eventually, and updated soon(ish). **

**4. I haven't forgot about all you wonderful readers who responded to my poll a while back. Yes, there is another "high school tutor"esque story in the works. It'll be fun, and will have more pairings than my usual stories do. I'm particularly looking forward to the NamiLarx dialogues in there. Anyone, on with the show!**

**SUMMARY: Two sailing humans are but in a life and death situation, but luckily for them, a merman prince rescues them, giving them medicine that heals them, but also makes them mermen for a month. How will Axel deal with the two new human roommates. Intrigue and Romance, under the sea! Soriku and Akuroku.  
**

**

* * *

**

A World Worth Looking For, A World Worth Finding

* * *

**Chapter 1: Reflections **

A small blond boy stared off over the bow of the ship. It was nighttime, and he had first watch. I yawned lazily taking in a breath of cold, sea-fresh night air. It reinvigorated him some. He stretched his arms, making a small grunt, as he felt every muscle in his body respond to new alignments. He stretched his arms a little wider, hitting some.

"Oh! Sorry!" he sputtered immediately, looking to see who it was.

A tall, silver haired young man looked at him curiously. The blonds eyes grew big.

"Oh! I'm really sorry, Prince Riku!" he bowed immediately.

"At ease," Riku chuckled. Roxas looked up and saw himself in those warm, blue green eyes. He returned Riku's smile warmly, slightly embarrassed for being so (caught off guard?)

Riku glanced at the small blond, noting the pink on his cheeks, and turned to the ocean.

"What are you doing?" he asked the smaller shipsman.

"Graveyard shift, not much to do," Roxas answered, turning back to the blackness that expanded to the horizon. "Just looking out at the darkness…it's kinda comforting."

Riku made an affirmative noise in response. He stood at the side of the ship, letting his thoughts turn as his eyes took in the faint, sparkling light of the stars, the blackness of the sky and the ocean, and the small, shimmer of starlight and moonlight reflected on the water. "These kind of voyages," Riku began, "I'm always so eager to see what new comes of these contacts with new trading partners. We always get new things, new ideas, new spices, new metals, and these are all good, but I never feel like I find what I was looking for."

Roxas sighed, slightly saddened by the fact that someone as good, noble, and understanding as Prince Riku was unsatisfied. "I think one day," Roxas said, turning to the prince, "one day you'll find a world worthwhile."

Riku smiled again at the ship's youngest sailor. He thought Roxas was attractive physically, with those brilliant blue eyes, lightly tanned skin, taunt muscles over a small frame. His personality was appealing too: he was always this hopeful, despite having had his share of a rough life, living on the streets before coming of age to work on a ship, where food and livelihood were generally taken care of, as long as one worked hard. But there was something in Roxas that made Riku's attraction to him purely platonic. Perhaps it was that Roxas had some thread in him, that made him the same a Riku, and too similar for a good partner.

"Good night, Roxas," Riku said simply, taking the hope that Roxas had given him, and dismissing it as naïveté at the same time.

"Good night, Prince Riku," Roxas stated formally, watching at the prince retired to his cabin. Roxas turned his eyes back out to the sea. "I hope he finds what he's looking for."

After their heartfelt conversation, Roxas and Riku noticed each other more and more. Roxas noticed how kind and understanding Prince Riku was: he was still serious and stern and commanded respect, but he was also pulling his own share of the workload. Even though he was a Prince, it wasn't below him to work alongside Roxas and the other sailors. Riku noticed that Roxas' strong determination to not be seen as "the little one" or "the weak link" kept him working longer and harder than anyone expected him to. The older sailors found him endearing, and the younger sailors were jealous of his exuberance.

Roxas continued to watch the nighttime sea, enveloped by its darkness. A few times, he thought he saw small red and blue lights on the water. Always two right next to one another: pair of dim lights, but still faintly there with a vibrancy of red or blue. Usually the pair of lights would be red or blue, and he would see the other colored pair appear, before both would disappear. Once, he even thought he saw yellow dots, like two nuggets of gold floating on the water.

* * *

**A/N: Reviews make my heart happy, and give me incentive to update faster. Guess what you should do?**


	2. Chapter 2: Stormy Seas

Chapter 2: Stormy Seas

The week waned on, and the entire crew was on edge. A storm was due tonight. Roxas once again had graveyard duty, but there were more people called to stay on deck, as the wind picked up and the ship rocked violently as tall waves hit the stern. Things were beginning to become untied. Roxas and Riku set to work re-securing the lifeboats. Suddenly, water rushed over the side and Riku and Roxas were slammed into the boats. They recovered, and righted themselves. Riku looked at Roxas who was quickly tying square knots. Riku wiped his brow.

Another huge gust of wind came, and a mass came untied. In flashes of moments, there was a yell, Roxas flattened himself against the lifeboats, and Riku was hit across the stomach by a mass that had come untied. Roxas heard a grunt to his side, and watched as the mass retreated but Riku was stumbling towards the side of the boat. With a sudden lurch from a crashing wave, he fell overboard.

Roxas, the small but intensely loyal young man he was, didn't think, but acted. There was more shouting as some of the older sailors saw Prince Riku fall overboard into the stormy sea. Roxas didn't hear them though: he grabbed a slack rope which was anchored to one of the metal tieoffs on the deck, tied it around his waist, then jumped overboard after the Prince. The cold water hit him, and he was overrun with the sensation of having been smashed against a brick wall covered with thousands of tiny needles.

"Prince Riku!" he shouted desperately. He managed to take a half a breath and pushed himself under water. The older sailors watched from deck, keeping their hands on the rope, ready to pull Roxas to safety at any moment. All hoping that he could find the prince.

"Prince Riku!" Roxas shouted again, waited for a response, and went back under water. The water was inky black, and Roxas could barely make out his own hand in front of his face as he swam. His sense strained for any indication of where to find the prince. He thought he heard clicks, and someone muttering a two-syllable word. He ventured to the surface, was able to quickly suck in another half-lung full of air, and then went back down. Something was different this time, almost as if he could _feel _another person's presence.

"Go back to the surface…Roc-xahs," a voice calmly told him. Roxas kicked to the surface. Immediately to his left came up a head of silver hair. Riku had emerged, but he wasn't conscious. Something was swimming for him. Riku was pushed right up next to Roxas, who wrapped his arms around the boy, feeling arms of similar size to his own release the prince.

"Who are you?" Roxas asked around Riku, not seeing with Riku in the way. A tan arm came around, followed by a strong tricep, a small shoulder, and finally a boy, who looked similar to Roxas with brown hair. His eye lids slip mostly open, and Roxas found himself locked in a gaze with blue eyes which shone with an electrical blue light. A third eyelid quickly closed over them and their light dimmed, but were still a hazy blue under the surface. The creature flashed a grin, and rows of razor sharp teeth could be seen.

"I'm Sora," the creature said gently.

"Thank you, Sora," Roxas said and smiled back.

"ROXAS! ARE YOU ALIVE?" Roxas shook with fear at the boom of the voice, glanced up in automatic response. When he lowered his gaze again, the boy was gone. He looked back up and tightened his grip around Prince Riku.

"Yes! Heave me up! I have the prince!" Roxas wrapped his arm and legs around Prince Riku, and used his other arm to grip the rope so it wouldn't put all the strain on his back. He was lighted slowly out of the water. Quickly, the two were safely back on deck.

Two pairs of eyes: one bright blue, one bright red watched as a crowd of shadows on the deck of the ship enveloped the two waterlogged young men.

"You used a cura spell on him," one said passively, almost bored.

"He seems nice. He's too young to die," a smaller voice answered.

"…They're interesting creatures," the first said, rich deep voice almost purring.

"And pretty too! The handsome one with the silver hair is a prince! Just like us!" Happiness radiated through the smaller voice. "We royalty have to stick together!"

The older voice chuckled. "They'll be alright. We should go before we get caught." There was a pause, "but they are pretty things, if only they didn't have those hideous legs!" Illuminated rubies slipped into the black water.

There was a sigh and small laugh, and large bioluminescent sapphires disappeared into the sea.

* * *

**A/N: (to the "I like Candy" melody) I like reviews! Duh duhnt duh duh. I like reviews! :::doe eyes:::**


	3. Chapter 3: Curiosity Killed the Cat

**A/N: and here we have a longer chapter for your reading pleasure! I still don't own kingdom hearts. **

**

* * *

**

Ch. 3: Curiosity Killed the Cat

"Whoa!" Roxas leaned over the edge of the boat. "They're so pretty! And graceful! And playful!" Roxas looked like a kid in a candy store as he watched the dolphins creened next to the boat as it sped on the water.

"Be careful you don't fall over," Riku said as he walked up to his young comrade. "I wouldn't get these princely clothes dirty to fetch you out." He smiled. Riku often poked fun at Roxas for keeping up the formalities of rank between the two. Roxas was the only on still on the ship who addressed him as "Prince" Riku.

"I'm being careful," Roxas half whined as he tightened his grip on the railing. He was too entranced by the dolphins to detect Riku's sarcasm. "So cool," he murmured to himself.

Riku stood closer and looked at them as well. "They are rather playful creatures. I swam with them a couple times when I was young," Riku mused.

Roxas looked at him smiling, "Prince Riku, you still are young!"

"Not as young as you!" he put the boy in a neck lock and messed up his hair.

"Oy, hey!" Roxas scrambled to get out of the headlock. Eventually, Riku let him go, and they both resumed their pastime of staring out at sea.

Just as another one of the young sailors past behind them, Roxas muttered, "I wish I could swim with the dolphins."

No sooner had the words slipped past his mouth, than the sails fell with a resounding woosh as the last of the wind past them. All three sailors looked skyward, searching for any cloud or sign of wind. There was none.

Riku sighed, "Way to go, Roxas," he smiled sarcastically at the young boy.

Roxas' eyes grew large. "It's not my fault! I don't have that kind of power!" He pleaded.

"Ya jinxed us," said the other sailor, who never did like the spry youth's uppity nature. Roxas was just too…too…bubbly.

Riku's eyes sharpened at the sailor's allegation, but let it drop, saying "We're still three days from Brumuda Island. I'll go talk with the captain." He said and walked off. The sailor scowled at Roxas who shrunk back abashed.

Three days past with no wind. On the fourth day, Riku and the captain spotted some forward moving clouds that would arrive within the next 36 hours. Relieved, they turned their thoughts to how to maintain crew morale.

"The biggest complaint lately is that the dolphins have been eating all the fish. I think the crew got their hopes up for fresh food a few days early when the wind blew out," Riku observed.

"Very astute, Riku. You'd make a good captain," the old captain smiled. The two both watched as Roxas ran back and forth over the deck with a mop. They then chuckled to themselves.

"Well, we could send a rowboat out, try to distract the dolphins from the ship, so the mates could get in their fill of fishing." Riku added. He had noticed that Roxas was getting more and more ansty as the days drifted without wind. He blamed himself, as silly as it was, and he was probably daydreaming more and more about swimming with dolphins.

The old captain smiled, "Are you volunteering?"

Riku nodded firmly.

"Good. Then take Roxas with you; he seems—pent up—these days. I don't want him getting cabin fever then infecting the crew."

"Thanks, Captain." With that Riku started getting everything prepared for the rowing out to sea. Roxas was excited, as he usually is, when Riku approached him and told him the news.

Once on the boat, Roxas fell silent. Riku looked at the boy: sadness did not fit him well.

"You know, as long as we can get you dry before heading back, you should be able to swim with them."

"Really?" Roxas's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, no problem," Riku was relieved to see the blond happy again. Unfortunately it was short lived.

"Roxas, what's wro-?" he began

"Do _you_ believe me, Prince Riku?" Roxas asked, sheepishly as usual. Tracing a knot in the wood on the bottom of the boat.

"About the mermaid?" Riku raised an eyebrow. The night of the storm, when the pair had emmerged from the water, Roxas had told the crew that Riku was saved by a mermaid, and was laughed at for it profusely. Everyone simply believed the boy had swallowed too much sea water and had had too much excitement.

"It was a mer-boy," Roxas corrected, "my age, with brown hair and bright blue eyes."

"Blue eyes…" Riku murmured parroting. A sudden flicker of a memory came to him: two bright glowing spheres in a small face. Feeling safe. Feeling warm despite the cold water around him. "_Cura"_ a boy's voice saying and a warm, green glow.

Riku shook his head. Took a deep breath, "If that's what you saw, then that's what you saw, Roxas."

"eeh-enn-eenn!" a dolphin beckoned them from the side of the boat, disrupting their somber conversation.

"Why, hello!" Roxas smiled and dipped a hand into the water, then carefully brought it over to the dolphin's nose. The mammal moved forward and pushed against the hand quickly. Roxas's eyes lit up and Riku chuckled to himself.

"You've made a new friend, Roxas," he smiled.

Roxas looked at him like a kid on Christmas morning, "I have! Haven't I!" he said excitedly. "Can I…?"

"Go ahead." Riku shifted in the boat, putting the oars safely under the benches and tying them off, just as a precaution.

Roxas had quickly disrobed all but his shorts, and then jumped in the water.

"Oy, Roxas! Don't splash me!" Riku yelled as the blond re-emmerged.

"Sorry," the apology was said, but Roxas was too happy with his new found aquatic playmates to be contrite.

Riku smiled and leaned back in the boat. The school of dolphins was heading towards them. It looked like his plan was working.

The dolphins were quite social with Roxas. We went under several times. Once he even was able to hold one's dorsal while it swam a little. They were beautiful and muscular creatures. Time passed quickly.

Roxas's energy level slowly dwindled. Soon, he was simply floating with the dolphins. All of a sudden, he heard something.

"Riku?"

Riku looked at the boy concerned. There was something unsure in his timbre of voice.

"What is it?"

"Did you hear those…clicks?"

"Dolphins click, Roxas. We've been hearing it for the past few hours."

"But this was different…" Roxas began.

"Roxas, you should probably be getting out. We should head back soon," Riku instructed and Roxas swam closer to the boat. There was a resounding _clud_ (clack + thud) against the other side of the boat and Riku immediately looked over at it, to make sure nothing had broken. But in doing so, he missed as Roxas was suddenly and unexpectedly pulled underwater.

Roxas had felt something warm wrap around his ankle, which didn't bother him. He tried to kick it off, but then found himself being pulled underwater. He quickly balled himself, getting his hands down closer so he could unfasten whatever it was. His eyes met with brilliant green ones and bright red hair. He sunk, or was pulled, deeper into the water. His face looked shocked. The redhead inspected him, tilting his face slightly with mild amusement at the young blond human. He kept his grip firm on the boy's ankle.

Roxas looked at the red head in ernest. He was pretty, but a bit suspicious looking. Roxas felt another hand slide over his other knee and up his thigh. This triggered a memory, a bad memory, from when Roxas was living on the streets. He panicked, and kicked and realized he didn't have any air in his lungs. Looking slightly angry, the redhead tightened his grip on Roxas's ankle, and it now burned. Roxas panicked more.

"Axel! You're hurting him!" The redhead's anger was instantly assuaged, and he looked rather sad. Roxas's ankle was let go and he immediately swam to the boat.

He emerged and Riku grabbed his arms. Roxas sputtered for breath, coughing up seawater.

"You shouldn't have dived like that, we need to leave," Riku said, in a protective tone.

"It wasn't me. He pulled me under. He grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me under," Roxas gasped.

"Let's get you out of the water," Riku heaved the boy onto the ship. Roxas laid back, filling his grateful lungs with air.

"I don't know what he wanted, but I made him angry," Roxas was lost in thought. Riku handed him a drying cloth.

"Are you alright?" Riku looked his friend over, concerned. His eyes fell on the boy's ankle. "Roxas, what happened there?" he pointed.

Roxas hissed, now feeling the pain. It was as if someone had scald him on his leg. There was an angry red, purplish circle around his ankle, with light designs in it.

"It burns!" he hissed, tears leaking.

"Get dressed, I'll row us back, and we can put a salve on it on the ship." Riku said calmly. _What was under the surface of these waters_, he asked himself, silently.

* * *

**Reviews are the flotsam to my jetsam!**


	4. Chapter 4: Of Gifts and Norms

**A/N: another chapter for your reading pleasure. I totally didn't bring the funny with this chapter. oh well. at least there's a good-ish transition. I want to give a HUGE and overdue shout out to my wonderful reviewers: Demise Angel, themusicalmuffin, captara, and high off music. You guys rock my socks, and I really appreciate you taking your time to give me feedback. It helps me stay motivated on stories, it really does. **

**DISCLAIMED!**

**And now, with out further a due, the latest chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Gifts and Norms

"He was _scared _of me! He wasn't scared of you and you're scary looking!" Axel complained, frustrated.

One wasn't going to get information from Axel when he was upset. "Just because I have dark hair…" Sora muttered. Axel and Sora's other brother, Demyx, were always complimented on how beautiful they were. When people looked at Sora, however, it was always something along the lines of "oh, Sora has such a nice personality," or "he's so unique looking." Yes, Sora had hair the strange color of old seaweed, or fresh driftwood. He didn't look normal like his brother Axel with lighter, but brilliant red hair or like his brother Demyx, who had blonde hair. His hair was just so dark and brown, extremely unnatural.

Sora sighed and shook his head. "Did you hurt him? You know humans are more fragile than us." Each merperson had a gift: Sora could heal people with incantations, Demyx could soothe people with song, Axel had a dual ability of being able to read people extremely well, and also having a heating defense, causing intense heat to be inducted into another entity touching his skin. When the blond human panicked, Sora could only assume Axel had inducted some of his heat into the blond and it shocked him.

"I don't know—maybe? You should've seen the way he looked at me! He was so afraid! It was like I was going to kill him or do something equally terrible to him." Axel explained, almost for his own benefit as he tried to figure out the puzzling blond human.

"Well, you did pull him underwater, and hold him under. Human's can breathe like we do, Axel," Sora explained a little annoyed that Axel had hurt the little human.

"I know that!" Axel snapped.

"Who knows how that burn will heal, or how long it will take to heal," Sora admonished.

"I didn't mean to hurt him…I just wanted to see what kind of person he really was…but he looked at me like I was some sort of monster…" heat glowed again in Axel's hands.

"Axel," Sora said sadly, pointing out to his brother that his hands were glowing red with heat again. Axel grunted with frustration, swam into his room, and slammed the door shut.

WHAM! The door to the prince's quarters were forcibly shut lieutenant commander, who had the most medical knowledge of the crew, entered the room. He inspected the ankle of the ship's youngest crewmember. Roxas was distracted by the finery of the sheets he was laying on. They were as soft as a cloud.

"Roxas, this is a rather odd burn, what gave it to you?" the lieutenant asked, picking up Roxas's heel and looking closer at the angry purple ban, now slightly blistering.

"Um…jellyfish," Roxas said and adverted his eyes.

The lieutenant looked over to the prince, who had his back turned to him. Anyone could see that the boy was lying, but why he would lie about the source of an injury when in the presence of a good friend was baffling.

"Alright, the salve may irritate it some, but should help it heal, and relieve you of the heat of it," the man spread a greenish black paste on the purple wound. "We'll manage without you for a day, but 2 days from now you should be able to wear shoes again and work up on deck."

"Yes, Leutentant commander," Roxas said, as if he were receiving punishment.

The lieutenant ruffled the boy's hair, "Enjoy your day and a half off! We'll have fresh fish for the next few days, thanks to you two distracting those damned dolphins. And captain says he sees a wind coming, should be here by the morrow. Well, get some rest, Roxas. Riku," the man curtly nodded his head as he left the room. Riku watched him leave with narrowed eyes, slightly put out that he ruffled his young friend's hair so carelessly.

The door clicked shut. Riku turned to see Roxas scooting towards the end of the bed. Riku winced as he saw the red peaking through blackish green.

"You could stay here with me, if you like. The bed's big enough for two," Riku offered, feeling sorry for the blond on two accounts: for starters, he didn't at first believe Roxas's story about merpeople, despite Riku himself remembering another entity that had healed him that night in the water. Also, Roxas was now injured. If Riku had believed him in the first place, he would not have led his friend on, back into strange waters.

"No, I think it'll be easier to spare my foot off the edge of my hammock in the galley. But thanks, your sheets are really nice." Roxas ran small fingers over the pillowy white. He was thinking of many things at once: being in Prince Riku's room for the first time and seeing the trappings of wealth, meeting the new red-headed merperson who was gentle at first, but really hurt him. Sora seemed like he was nothing if not gentle and caring. Had this second merman really meant to hurt him? Did Roxas kick him or something—and the merman acted out of defense?

"Roxas?" Riku watched as a lost expression shadowed the blond's face. "Was that the same mer—merperson that helped me?"

"Um, what? Oh, no, it wasn't Sora," Roxas seemed a little more lucid, but not much.

Riku sat down next to him. "What happened?" He asked. His voice was a mere whisper.

"I don't know," Roxas responded quickly, too quickly. "He…I felt something grab my ankle, and pull me under water. And then I saw him. He looked…wild. Bright red hair and the purest green eyes I've ever seen. And he had markings on his cheeks. He—" Roxas paused himself. Telling Riku that the merman had _caressed his leg and thigh_, was probably not the best idea. Roxas blushed, now realizing that that was what had happened, that triggered the memory of the time he was in the alley and that drunk almost raped him. Luckily Roxas landed a firm kick to the balls, and ran out of there, never to see the drunk again.

"Roxas?" Riku looked at his friend concerned, especially noting the nervous blush on the younger's cheeks.

"Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, I panicked and started kicking and I guess I must have hit him and made him angry, and he burned me, on accident, and let me go," Roxas was lost in thought, remembering the event. _Axel, you're hurting him_. Was that Sora's voice? It sounded like it. The red head looked truly apologetic when he heard Sora's declaration. Roxas shook himself from the reverie. "I do think Sora might have been there, though, off to the side somewhere. Anyway, I'm going to go get some sleep. That was a lot of excitement for one day. Thanks for taking me to go swim with the dolphins. They were a lot of fun." Roxas smiled at the Prince who momentarily looked happily back at him.

"Have a good night, Roxas. Sleep well," he said as Roxas sprang up from the bed and walked to the door.

"Thanks again, Prince Riku. Sleep well too!" Roxas beamed as he left the room. As he settled into his hammock, a little later, exhaustion quickly made his eyes heavy. With this foot dangling off the side of the hammock, carefully not allowing the burn to touch anything, Roxas fell asleep, and dreamt of piercing green eyes under brilliant red hair.

* * *

**A/N: so what'cha think? shoot me a review. I already have the next chapter planned. Should be out soon.**


	5. Chapter 5: Everyone's Family has Issues

**A/N: disclaimed.**

** Royal Vizier? Yeah, i got that from aladdin. m'eh.**

**Using sounds as transitions, FTW!**

**Shout outs due to Demise Angel, musical muffin, narukitx3, and Foxzees. Wanna see your name here? Review! Pretty please!  
**

* * *

Chapter 5: Everyone has a Complicated Family

"Axel! Sora!" a voice rang out as a blonde entered the small abode. "Guys?"

Axel drifted up from the couch, taking off some seashells, which covered his ears, playing music (A/N: What? Mermen can't have ipods? Pfft.) "What's up, Demyx?" he asked lazily.

"What's going on?" Sora arrived from his room, wiping sleep out of his eyes.

"Were you up late last night with the ladies?" Demyx jeered at his younger brother.

"No," Sora scowled lightly. "I'm not you or Axel, I'm not popular with _the ladies_," Sora attempted, rather pathetically, to sneer at the blond.

"Too bad we don't care for them," Demyx said non-commitally.

" 'We'?" Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah!" Demyx regained his initial enthusiasm. "Guess what?"

Sora and Axel both simply raised eyebrows at this. They knew if they actually guessed Demyx would just interrupt them with the truth.

"Oh, you guys are no fun! I'm dating Zexion!" Demyx half danced, swinging his hips and flicking his tail fins.

"That's great news!" Sora glomped his brother.

Axel actually got upright and approached the two. "Oh, the glomping buddies, beware," he muttered under his breath. "So is this official...err…is it public?" Axel asked with genuine concern and curiosity.

"Ahem…It's official and secret?" Demyx responded, adding inflection to seek the redhead's approval. "I wouldn't mind telling the world, but Zexion wants it to be a secret for some reason."

"He's probably just protecting you, Dem-Dem," Sora chimed.

"Yeah," Axel agreed, setting on the back of the couch. "He's really smart, and probably thinks that what happened to me would happen to you. You may even get it worse, you know, 'all my sons turning gay'." Axel sighed.

"But if you did, we'd be here for you," Sora said supportively.

Demyx's face softened, remembering how Axel came-out as bisexual by declaring he was dating another redhead named Reno. The relationship was only a whim, and anyone who was paying attention knew that, but the king had banished Axel from the castle nonetheless. Sora was enraged that his brother would be so easily estranged from the family, and the (ever happy) mood-setter left in a sign of solidarity. The castle was different without Axel's sarcasm and Sora's undimmable cheerfulness around, and Demyx found him visiting the small vacation house as often as he could spare the time. He smiled at his little brother. "I know you would," he said warmly.

Sora settled on the couch back next to Axel, a cute far-off expression on his face.

"What's this?" Dem swam up to his little brother. "Is someone crushing on someone new? Finally!" He teased, getting close to Sora's face.

"It's not true!" Sora lied, looking at the seahorse collection instead of Demyx. Demyx recognized the behavior immediately. He exchanged evil looks with Axel.

"Sora, remember what we said about lying?" the redhead grinned.

"No! Wait! No!" Sora protested, but his older brothers were already all over him, tickling him profusely. Laughter erupted from the small abode.

"This is really not funny," Roxas said seriously. The other young sailors laughed as Roxas's face turned a slight purple. He hung, facing the floor, being held in place by ropes tied around his body and unhurt leg.

"Have a good morning," the sailors cheered, cruelly mocking Roxas's normally cheerful tone.

"Guys, please!" Roxas squired against the expertly tied knots.

"No, thank you!" one of the sailors shouted across the galley. The others erupted in laughter. Roxas heard the trap door exit of the galley slam shut and sighed.

"Well, sometimes you just have to help yourself," Roxas fixed himself with a determined attitude, and began swinging the hammock in rhythm with the rock of the ship. After a good while, Roxas managed to get the hammock upright. He would've been extremely hungry, if he hadn't been so physically disoriented over the past half hour. He took quick deep breaths, now lying in a natural position. He hadn't been like that for two minutes when he heard the galley door open once again.

"Roxas?" Riku's voice whispered loudly.

"Prince Riku, help," Roxas was relieved and embarrassed at the same time. "Please."

He heard quick footfalls then a stunned Riku with a bag of morning breakfast appeared next to him.

"I didn't see you at breakfast. Now I know why," the prince scowled, and started untying the ropes.

"Thank you." Sitting up, Roxas took a deep breath, feeling his lungs expand to full capacity. "I hate being the youngest one," a rare complaint went past his lips before he could stop it.

Riku ruffled his hair. "It's not because you're young; it's because you're small."

"You really know how to make a guy feel better, don't you?" Roxas quickly quipped back. His face then grew large with shock.

"—Don't worry about it," Riku said before the blond could start apologizing. "I teased you, it's natural you should tease back. It's a good thing, a normal thing—we're friends, right?" Riku said smiling.

"Yeah, friends," Roxas smiled back warmly. "So, are we still on time for arrival at Bermuda Island?" he asked curiously. Roxas could tell that the wind had picked up during the night from the sounds of the water rushing past the boat.

"Yeah, we actually might make it there by tomorrow. We're making great time," Riku said plainly.

"You seem...not happy about that?" Roxas queried, wondering if he was prying too much.

"We're picking up my brother Sephiroth and the Royal Vizier Hojo there, and they are coming with us on the return journey. I'm looking forward to seeing my brother, but he's changed since he started working with Hojo. Hojo has been the Royal Vizier for years, but something about him makes me mistrust him. The fact that Sephiroth is now…different…doesn't help any, either." Riku explained with a heavy heart.

"If there's anything I can do to help, just ask," Roxas volunteered, worried by the expression on his friend's face. "Let's go get some air topside," Roxas suggested, hopping down from the hammock onto unsteady legs.

"Probably a good idea," Riku murmured in response, still troubled by the prospect of being on a ship for weeks with Hojo. Maybe he would give Sephiroth and himself some brotherly bonding time.

The two ascended the ladder to the deck. The sky was blue, and the wind was robust. They stood at their familiar part of the bow and looked out over the ocean. Riku silently gave Roxas the bag with his breakfast in it.

Roxas eyes glazed slightly as he took a bite of his hard tack and fish breakfast. "It's weird. Back on land, I was always the one protecting others. Now, I'm the one who needs protection," Roxas sighed.

"Don't worry: as long as you have friends, you'll never be alone," Riku quoted.

Roxas raised an eyebrow, "You have to be a royal to come up with something that corny."

Riku's face grew grave. "Don't push it kid," he said seriously.

Roxas's eyes grew big once again, looking like he had just broken a priceless relic.

"I'm kidding, kidding!" Riku smiled, laughing. Roxas shortly joined in and the two laughed at themselves.

Eventually the laughter died down. "I thought Axel was the one that read people well," Sora pouted, breathing heavily from being tickled so much. He was sprawled on the couch, Demyx and Axel were settled on the floor, backs against the couch, facing forward. Axel's tail fin was resting on the couchside table. (A/N- do merpeople have coffee? I hesitate to call it a "coffee table.")

"Sorry, Sora, you're an open book," Demyx chided. The then fell silent for a moment, a rather long time for Demyx, deep in concentration. His brow furrowed, and he almost looked like he was in pain. "Prince Riku, huh? I don't remember any Prince Rikus from the last ball," Demyx thought aloud.

"That's because he's human," Axel explained. Sora tried to sink himself further in the couch, blushing deeply, instantly glad that neither of his older brothers were looking at him.

"Whoa! Really? Way to go, Sora! Two taboos in one shot!" Demyx stated cheerful, as if Sora had won some sort of game.

"I can't help who I like," Sora mumbled.

"And you don't need to," Demyx replied.

"What Dem-dumb is trying to say that we're glad you found someone to care about, and we hope they care about you in return," Axel said plaintively.

"Yeah, me too," Sora said as his blush dissipated. He smiled thinking about how much his brothers loved him.

* * *

**A/N: yeah, i'm not so sure why the chapters for this story are 2 to 3 times longer than those for "he's gone away". that will always be one of the secrets of the universe, i suppose. **

**A/N: Reviewers are like salt to my sea-salt icecream. *tries to think of a way to put that in this story...hmmm...* Review please! It only takes a few seconds, and it makes us writers happy!  
**


	6. Chapter 6: Arrival and Departure

**A/N: i don't own KH. **

**A/N: shout outs to captara and musical muffin. i love you guys for reviewing. thanks.**

**A/N: anyone want to beta this? message me interested.  
**

**A/N: this chapter was not fun to write. It's mostly transition, with little action. Hopefully my characterizations are consistent with ones of previous chapters.  
**

* * *

Chapter 6: Arrival and Departure

"Wow!" whispered Sora. "This is the first time I've seen one of their ships connected to land." The young brunet watched as planks were lowered and the weary seamen crossed to solid land.

"Yeah, I'm a great influence on you," Axel muttered, squinting at the figures of men scrambling to tie off the great ship. Simply venturing to the surface of the water was taboo, and going near human islands and ports was unthinkable. The two were protected from view, at least: they had found an empty adjacent pier to the one where the ship had arrived, and they stayed under it, only allowing their heads to barely peak out of the black, shadowed water.

"There's Riku!" Sora beamed. The two aquatics watched as Prince Riku walked in a regal manner down the plank, and was greeted by what looked like the island's leader, another royal person, and someone who must have been related to him, judging by the embrace and similar long silver hair. The four waved to the captain, who was still on ship and directing the sailors who were easily distracted by the prospect of a new place, with new people and new pleasures on it.

"Shoulda known that we wouldn't see more than a glimpse," Sora sighed, disappointed. "Now we have to wait until they leave the island again."

"How do you know they are going to leave it?" Axel responded quietly.

"They have too! If Riku doesn't get back on the boat then it will be near impossible for me to see him again!" Sora said, almost whining as the realization hit him. He may not see his dear human prince again.

The two stayed quiet for the next several hours. After a while the pace slowed, and sailors began to vacate the ship. It was almost nightfall and the captain left.

"We haven't seen him at all, all day." Sora muttered sadly, concerned for his brother but also for Roxas. "He may not be getting off the ship."

"What could have happened?" Axel asked rhetorically, a tinge of desperation coloring his voice. He sighed. "Maybe we should just go home," he relinquished.

"Look! There!" Sora pointed. They could see a small head of blond hair move along the side of the ship. It jaunted irregularly, with a quick-slow, quick-slow rhythm.

"He's moving funny," Sora observed, rather unnecessarily.

Axel frowned. "He's still hurt."

Sora turned quickly to look back at the blond as he hobbled along the side of the ship. "They really are fragile creatures," Sora mumbled to himself.

The pair watched as Roxas stopped his clumsy limp along the ship, placing his arms over the railing and leaning heavily on his chest. He sighed. His eyes began scanning the island, taking in every detail. He looked back and forth over the rows of houses and scattered dock areas. He turned slowly, facing to the abandoned pier under which Axel and Sora hid. The pair automatically lowered themselves deeper into the water, their eyes only barely peering out.

"Do you think he can see us?" Sora whispered cautiously.

As if in response, the far away blonde made a short wave, and the two mermen disappeared under water.

"How did he-?" Sora began.

"Night sight, " Axel responded looking over at his younger brother. Sora looked into his eyes, now glowing ruby red.

"Oops," the younger said, even as his own eyes shined a crisp electric blue.

Roxas watched as the pair of red and blue lights disappeared under the dock. He sighed. Maybe he was just imagining it. They were never skittish before. His ankle burned. He glanced down at it: the salve had not helped the wound, which now festered and bled occasionally. It burned, more so now exposed to the air than it did when he received it. _I'm not imagining them. That's proof, _he thought to himself. This ankle felt like it was on fire, and the limped off the ship.

The next few days passed with out much notice for Roxas. His ankle was still not healing. He went to a doctor, who didn't have any new ideas: more stinky salve, which hurt to apply and didn't do any good. Roxas usually enjoyed shore leave, but with his speed slowed down and his almost constant pain, his prospects of fun were dimmed a bit. He spent most of his time lazying about the quarters in the guesthouse the captain had arranged for some of the sailors. Others spent their time almost exclusively in the brothels.

Roxas rested in his bed, as per usual, eating a small exotic fruit. At least he could enjoy all the tropical flavors, even though he couldn't explore the island. A bit of juice ran down his chin and he thought of Prince Riku. He hadn't seen the prince since they arrived. He wondered how his reunion was with his brother. They were going to leave the island tomorrow. How was Roxas going to work when he could barely walk? He sighed, almost drifting to sleep. He heard footsteps and voices in the hall. He glanced at the window, determining from the light it was still afternoon.

The door opened and Roxas's eyes went large as the captain and Prince Riku walked into the large room. Roxas shuffled to stand at attention, and did so with minimal awkwardness. He put his weight wholly on his good foot.

The captain chuckled lightly, "At ease, boy," he said.

"Roxas," Riku smiled, seemingly relieved to see his friend. Roxas let himself fall back onto his bed with a plop. Riku looked his young friend over, his eyes falling on Roxas's exposed ankle.

"Sheesh, Roxas, that looks worse!" Riku said as he rushed to the blonde's side, kneeling and picking up Roxas's foot. Roxas blushed from the odd contact.

"Don't touch it!" Roxas said as he felt his foot being absconded.

"Holy mackerel, boy. Can you even still walk?" The captain took a look at the glistening wound.

"It's been bleeding, and weeping," Riku said in a detached voice.

"I've never seen a jelly fish wound do that. Have you been keeping up with the salve?" the captain said, eyes narrowing on the strange wound.

"Yes, it doesn't help. I went to the doctor here and he just gave me more of a similar salve. That also doesn't help," Roxas explained. "And I can still walk," he added, looking down as if ashamed.

The captain and Riku exchanged glances. "Don't worry, sonny, even if you can't we won't maroon you here. You can help out in the kitchen if you can't do your normal duties. I'm having most of the crew reporting at first light tomorrow to prepare for departure. You just make sure you are on the ship by high tide, so we don't leave without you." The captain instructed him in an almost fatherly voice.

"I think Seph might know someone else on the island who may be able to treat that. Come, have lunch with me and Seph. Hojo will be there too, I suppose." Riku smiled at Roxas, glad to see his friend again. The captain had excused himself while Riku was speaking to Roxas.

"But I already ate…" Roxas hedged. He had just gotten used to one prince's company. Eating a lunch with another prince and the royal vizier was not the young man's idea of fun, nor relaxation.

"Man cannot live on paopu fruit alone!" Riku jeered, eyeing the half-eaten fruit forgotten on the bedside table. Smile brightening, he pulled his friend off the bed.

"Riku, you're so weird sometimes," Roxas said, standing up and the limping alongside Riku as they walked to the door.

Riku suddenly stopped, turning around and facing Roxas. "You're really in pain, aren't you?" Riku had heard the irregular limp from his friend, and now, facing the blond, could see how much of a tough front the younger was trying to put on.

Riku sighed and lowered himself on to his knees infront of the his friend.

"What! What are you doing?" Roxas wondered if he should get down on his knees so he wasn't higher than the prince.

"I'm giving you a piggy back ride. It hurts when you walk, right?" Riku said and turned to show his back to the blond.

"But-!" Roxas began to feel extremely awkward.

"Unless you want me to carry you like a princess?" Riku said sarcastically.

Roxas scrambled forward. Riku smiled. Having to carry Roxas like a princess would have been embarrassing for him too. He stood slowly, feeling spry arms circle him tighter.

Lunch progressed smoothly. Vizier Hojo and Prince Sephiroth were exceedingly polite to Roxas. Sephiroth seemed genuinely interested in his younger brother's sailor friend. Conversation was easy, and soon, lunch ended. Vizier Hojo, who had a very intimidating air, excused himself from the three young men, much to the relief of Roxas (and Prince Riku.)

The three set out immediately after lunch to the secluded hut of a reclusive country doctor. Roxas, tired from overeating at lunch, fell asleep on Riku's back, his cheek resting on Riku's shoulder.

Riku, feeling his young friend fall asleep, thought it was a good time to talk with Sephiroth about something private. Vizier Hojo had not given the brothers hardly any private time since Riku's arrival, to the noticeable chagrin of the younger and the understood disappointment of the elder.

"Seph, you've grown…a lot…since I saw you," Riku said quietly. The physical changes in his brother were startling, but also disconcerting was Sephiroth's more subtle changes: the way he held himself when Hojo was around, even something in his eyes.

"The Island food will do that to you, little brother. I got my first growth spurt shortly after arriving. I think that was after meeting Vivi for the first time with Hojo, as well." Sephiroth explained automatically. "Vivi has an odd manner of speech, and décor, and is somewhat odd himself, but his homeopathy and knowledge of local herbs is first rate. If he doesn't know how to fix your little friend, then no one on the island will." Sephiroth guided them into a forest clearing, in the middle of which sat a small hut, with a thatched roof and collections of herbs hanging from the sides, drying in the wind.

"You've changed a lot," Riku said, coming into the sun, "I've missed you."

Sephiroth glanced back at his little brother, but continued walking towards the hut.

"Wake up, Roxas, we're here," Riku jostled the blond on his back gently. Riku reflected on his friendship with Roxas: Riku's family was always so professional, with a detached, cool air always around them. They communicated to each other how they felt. Maybe that was why being around Roxas was so refreshing to Riku. Roxas, whose emotions always showed, despite his efforts otherwise. Roxas wasn't transparent, no, but his feelings were more accessible than any of Riku's family members'.

"Riku," the blond yawned, "You can put me down. I can walk the rest of the way."

The two walked up as a small, cloaked man opened a door to Sephiroth. Small eyes darted from Sephiroth to Riku to Roxas, then beckoned them inside.

"No Vizz-ear with you today. Good good." Vivi said, as he shuffled through a few things. He picked up a small bag and walked right up to Sephiroth. Hand clenching the bag firmly, he quickly swung it below Sephiroth's nose. Riku and Roxas started, thinking the small man was going to attack the older prince. Sephiroth only raised an eyebrow. Vivi stared at him, and watched as a purple glow hazed over the tall man's eyes. Vivi sighed.

"Makoh make you strong, yes, but makoh not all good. Makoh give you strength, makoh take your thoughts. Makoh make you loose your will." Vivi muttered, then looked at the other two young men in his hut.

"What was that about?" Roxas asked looking at Riku, who stared at his older brother with a concerned look.

Vivi walked up to the pair. He stood close to Riku, small eyes inspecting him. "Little prince Seffroff," he said looking over the silver haired young man. He then darted to infront of Roxas. "You just look strange," he observed and turned his back on the pair.

Riku smiled and Roxas shrugged off the insult. "His ankle is hurt, could you look at it, Vivi?" Sephiroth said and Vivi turned back to the two, then eyed Roxas's ankle.

"Sit, sit," Vivi pulled a chair over to Roxas, who limped to it and sat, rather nervous the rickety thing would break underneath him. Riku looked around the hut. There were odd objects anywhere, but a small, thin ivory scythe caught his eye. It had intricate designs it that were oddly familiar.

"Hm…Vivi never seen this before," the small man said.

"So, do you know to treat it?" Sephiroth queried.

Vivi looked at him, and then looked into Roxas's eyes again. "You getting stranger by the minute," he said to Roxas.

Vivi made an odd huffing sound and fetched a book, put it on a table and began looking through it. He nodded to himself, then looked up at the scythe, then at Riku who had been inspecting it.

"Yes, looks familiar, does it? It should. Made by same thing that hurt your friend," Vivi pulled the scythe down, running his small hands over it. Vivi looked to Roxas, "Fish person hurt you, yes? Then fish person must heal you. I can do nothing. Nothing I can do can help."

He looked back at Riku, holding up the scythe, "What fishpeople make, only fishpeople break," he said, and swung the scythe flatly down on the table with all his might. There was a loud bang, and Vivi pulled the scythe away from the heavy wooden table, showing a small indention from where the scythe hit. The scythe, itself paper thin, was still miraculously intact. He handed it to Riku to show him.

Riku looked it over in his hands, now recognizing the intricate design was the same he saw when he had first pulled Roxas from the water, when his wound was fresh and not swollen or bleeding.

"Vivi," Sephiroth spoke, waking the younger two from their being lost in thought. "Thank you for your time," he said professionally.

Vivi nodded. "Seffroff, be careful of vizz-ear. He no good. Be careful of makoh." He looked back at the pair of friends, "Good luck with you, young prince," he said to Riku. "Blessings, strange little one," he said to Roxas, who nodded politely. The trio left the hut. Once they were a good distance, Sephiroth spoke. "That was a waste of time. Vivi really has gotten a bit crazy lately, it seems. That was nothing but nonsense this time."

"I don't know about that," Riku said, with a measured, royal family tone.

"He called me little," Roxas huffed from Riku's back. "At least I'm bigger than him!" Riku laughed buoyantly and Sephiroth smiled.

At first light the next morning, Riku, Sephiroth, and Hojo boarded the ship. An hour before high tide, Roxas boarded, and was greeted by the captain. Roxas updated the captain on the fruitless attempt to get healed by Vivi, and the captain smiled understandingly and directed Roxas to the kitchen. The ship set off with the high tide. There was a strong wind and a sunny sky. However, the smooth sailing would not last for long.

* * *

**A/N: Normajean! You made vivi a witch-doctor? Why, yes. Yes, i did. **

**So now we all know exactly what's going to happen in the next chapter. If you don't, reread the summary and reread this chapter. It's PAINFULLY obvious. **

**Still, please review and tell me how i'm doing. Critique is welcome and appreciated.  
**


	7. Chapter 7: Insurrection

Chapter 7: Insurrection

Years ago, long since forgotten by the historians of both cultures, mermen and land-men fought. There were tit-for-tat battles scattered over a century, with losses on both sides. Eventually the meaningless war ended, and each side left the other alone. Memory of the other race fell into obscurity, leaving behind only whispers of legends in mankind, and a certain "gift" among the merpeople. This gift is an evolutionary trait: after the first several battles, merpeople developed an intense ability to smell land-folk or merfolk blood if shed underwater. Their ability to smell this type of blood trumped even the sharks' homing smell for their prey. It was useful then, during the time of war, they could tell when one of their own was in danger, or if the humans were losing (the combination of jubilant clicks and the smell of blood).

So when Sora smelt the faint whiff of blood in the water while in his house that night, he dropped what he was doing and feared the worse: feared that it was human blood, feared that it was Riku's. And he was right.

Roxas leaned slightly out the porthole window. Cool, morning fresh air hit his face. He smiled as the smell of the sea, now pleasantly familiar after days at land, filled his lungs.

"Roxas, get back to work!" the cook ordered. It was somewhat amazing how he could mutter and yell at the same time.

"Yes, sir! Right away!" Roxas chirped and hobbled back to the table and continue chopping vegetables. Roxas busied himself at a quick pace, completing all the tasks the cook told him. If he was useless on the ship, he wouldn't be able to stand it. Besides, if he truly were useless, he would lose his livelihood. This would be bad enough. But if he became worthless to the ship, he would lose something much more intangibly important. He would lose his self respect, his integrity, all his self-esteem.

So for the first couple days, Roxas busied himself in the kitchen, working from first light until a little after dark. He no longer had night shifts, but he still gazed out at the sea. Riku would join him, and they would stand, side by side, staring silently into the darkness.

It was the third day of working in the kitchen that his curiosity was getting the better of him. Every day, each meal, Vizier Hojo would come in and take his and Prince Sephiroth's meals, but not before adding an odd kind of spice to the Prince's. It was that very night that Riku said something that troubled Roxas, but he couldn't figure out why at the time.

"I'm worried about Seph," Riku began. They had been standing on their normal spot staring at the sea for perhaps three quarters of an hour. "I don't see him much, he holes up in his room. But we three have meals together, something seems off in his eyes when he's eating. He's somewhat normal and almost animated (for Seph) at the beginning of the meals, but the he becomes more and more quiet as we sit together. He seems more and more listless. I don't know if it's something I'm doing, or if he's just not adjusting to being on the ship. No, it has to be something more than that." Riku sighed. "I just wish he would open up to me."

Roxas blinked a few times, processing the information. Riku turned to see a concerned look shadow the young boy's face. He thought that Roxas had far too many cares for someone so young. "How's your ankle?"

Roxas half-grimaced, half-smirked. "At least the wound isn't spreading."

"It still hurts?" Riku asked, looking at the boy.

Roxas turned his gaze back to the water. "Yes, sometimes more than others," he watched as two faint rubies disappeared under water. He thought he saw the blue lights move to the side, but they remained there. Roxas yawned and looked up at the moon. "Maybe Sephiroth just needs some time," Roxas said as another yawn stretched out the end of his sentence. "I should go to sleep. Good night, Riku."

"Good night," Riku said. He stared out at sea: sometimes at the moon, sometimes at the moonlight on the water, but often intensely gazing at two blue dots on the horizon.

In the middle of the night, the fire bell rang once, but then nothing. This was enough. Every sailor rushed to the deck. A few of the higher ranked officers inspected the ship in quick order, and then they too fell in line with the others. Roxas was one of the last to arrive, but was able to see Vizier Hojo immerge from the captain's quarters which were adjacent to the main deck. The greyed body of the captain swaying from his arm.

"Your Captain's dead, and I'm taking control of the ship," he declared. The crew shuffled nervously. He easily pushed the captain's body overboard.

The Lieutenant Commander came forward. "That's mutiny!" he declared. There was a loud boom, and the first officer crumbled to the ground. Blood leaked out onto the deck from the man's chest.

Roxas's eyes grew as large as dinner plates as he witness the murder of the man who had helped him get hired on the ship, who had tended his ankle wound when he first received it.

As Roxas's gaze rested on the body of the Liutenant, Riku stared unflinchingly at his brother, who had immerged from the captain's quarters behind Hojo, and stood there, quietly. His eyes held a vacancy and the presence of an odd glow at the same time.

"Sephiroth, what is going on here?" Riku asked and approached the pair of men. In one quick action, Hojo had clocked Riku across the face with the butt of his gun, and stabbed him in the side. Riku staggered backward.

Roxas strode forward, brave loyalty burning into rage in his eyes. Sephiroth merely glanced at the boy, objectively determined that he meant to inflict harm, and then with a swift motion of his arm, sent Roxas sailing against the side of the ship. Roxas's head hit the wood hard, and his arm bent oddly to the side.

_Thud-thud._ Roxas struggled to keep from unconsciousness taking him. Spots covered his vision as blackness crept in at the sides. The water sounded closer than it should have.

Riku straightened himself and re-approached the pair. The Vizier raised his hand to strike him again.

"No, don't you dare hurt him!" Roxas growled even as he was injured. He stood shakily and rushed towards the Vizier, but Sephiroth caught him by the arm. Grabbing the blond's thin throat, the man with the glimmering eyes picked him off the ground like he was a rag doll, and threw him hard against the side of the ship. There was an unnatural "pop" as the boy's back hit the side. He made an animalistic half grunt, half whimper. The momentum too great, and even as his back twisted backwards over the bow, his body kept moving, and he went head first over the side of the ship.

Riku stood, holding his bleeding side and glared at the pair. His brother's eyes were lifeless, like he was a zombie: body there, consciousness not. The Vizier returned the glare with a narrowing of his eyes. He advanced to the young prince, who was just barely managing to stand.

"You will serve under me on this ship, or you will die below in the sea," he hissed.

"Never," Riku said gasping.

"As you wish," the Vizier said and in a swift motion cut Riku again across the stomach, then pushed him casually over the side of the boat.

Riku was falling. _Roxas!_ _I need to find Roxas_. He thought. Then the water hit him hard and fast, and he was realizing, as he sunk into the blackness, he was going to die. He saw a glimmer of blue, and then a quick tug on his abdomen caused him such intense pain that he passed out.


	8. Chapter 8: Goodbye, Hello?

Ch. 8 I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello!

"_How's your ankle?" _

"_At least the wound isn't spreading." _

"_It still hurts?" _

"_Yes… sometimes more than others."_

As the two merfolk watched the two seamen speak. Sora heard Axel sigh after Roxas confided that he was still injured.

"I'm going for a swim," Axel said, then disappeared under the surface. Sora swam to where he was a minute before, and sighed. His brother was usually animated and happy, albeit a bit too sarcastic for his own good at times. He also occasionally got into loner moods and would shut everyone else out. This had been happening more recently, and, after his unfortunate meeting with Roxas, had increased to the point where he would disappear for "a swim" a few hours everyday.

Sora sighed again, and looked back at the ship. He heard Roxas say goodbye to Riku, and watched him leave. Riku, hair being tousled lightly by the wind, stayed at the edge of the ship, looking over the water. A few times, Sora was almost certain he had made eye contact with the land-prince, and blushed a light blue until he remembered that merpeople's eyes were much sharper than those of humans', probably because they lived underwater where there was more obstruction than the empty air that hung around land-folk. There was no way Riku could actually be seeing him the way he saw Riku, but still, everytime Sora felt the prince's gaze, he felt slightly unnerved.

After an hour or two, the Prince left the deck. Sora slowly let himself fall deeper into the water, and then returned home to cook something, or listen to music, or do something to get his mind off of the Prince, (although he doubted his efforts would really succeed.)

Three cakes, a pan of sweet seaweed rolls, a tray of kelp candy, and two bunches of anemone flambé later, as Sora cooked some sea coral crisps, he smelt blood. He quickly stopped cooking, and swam out of the house as fast as his fins could let him.

He sounded a few precursory clicks as he neared the ship and the smell of blood was stronger. He felt a body, slightly below him and sinking fast. He swam quickly and put his arms around an unconscious Roxas. He could feel the man's heartbeat, but just barely. He looked upward to see another body swimming weakly, pushing himself towards there location. Riku was bleeding, and quite a lot at that.

_This is really bad,_ Sora thought and swam quickly up towards his crush, then grabbed him around the waist. Riku passed out, and Sora instinctively released him, pulling away an arm coated with blood. _This is really bad_. Sora grabbed him again by circling his arm around the man's chest and swam towards the island.

_Where to go? Where to go? They need to breathe air. They need to be safe. _He looked at the two in his arms. _Wherever has to be near. Where? The grotto! _Sora sped up his desperate swimming and hoped that the grotto would be empty of water. Twice, while swimming there, Sora had to stop and breathe air in to the lungs of both men. Their heartbeats felt slightly more regular, and Sora began swimming again.

Sora swam through an underwater cavern and surfaced in a small grotto that had air coming into it though cracks to the shore. He heaved the two men up on the rocky surface. Riku sputtered water, coughing and sat up. He groaned, realizing the immense pain from his stomach which bled freely. He collapsed back down.

"Riku, Riku!" Sora called to him. He wasn't responsive. Sora glanced over at the blonde, who had turned an unnatural pale color. He looked slightly yellow.

"What do I do?" Sora asked to no one in particular. The two humans were dying. He pulled a small vial from his belt. He always carried it with him: it would be useful in dire situations. Cure-all was an extremely potent potion, and could cure a mer-person back to full health. It also had rumored other abilities: it could cure a human, but in doing so I would make them turn into a mer-person for twelve tide cycles (three lunar months). Sora quickly gave half of the elixir to Riku, and then half to Roxas. He scooted back to Riku and took off his shoes, watching as gills formed on the silver-haired man's neck, webbing on hands grew to encompass fingers, and scales formed down legs, and fins pushed out from feet. Riku blinked slowly, his eyes glowing an odd yellowish-orange.

"You're…Sora?" he said, somewhat unsure of himself and very disoriented.

"That's right," Sora smiled, "How do you feel?"

"Pretty bad," Riku responded, groaning.

Both jumped as they heard a commotion outside the grotto. A moment later, a redhead immerged from the water.

"…Sharks smelt the blood too," the redhead said, in a controlled manner as he surveyed the scene. "What happened?"

"Seph…" Riku began, his eyes searching blankly for something that wasn't infront of him. "Roxas!" He pushed himself upright.

Sora didn't need Axel's ability to read others to see the fear in Riku's face.

As if on cue, the small blond rolled onto his side, and coughed weakly. Sora and Axel immediately wrinkled their noses. The smell of blood was in the air. They both quickly rushed to the blond's side. Riku was similarly concerned for his friend, but when he tried to move, he saw fins protruding from his legs. He stared at them in shock, unable to mentally process anything more.

"Why isn't he better?" Axel asked, using his thumb to gently wipe the blood from the blond's lips, cradling his head in his scaled lap.

"I don't know. He's smaller than Riku," Sora glanced at the dumbstruck silveret. "He's should've healed; I gave them each half of the vial." Sora's eyes looked over the blond. "Roxas? Roxas can you hear me?"

The blond only slightly stirred. Sora's brow furrowed. "Help me take off this stuff," Sora said and started pulling at Roxas' shirt. Axel pulled at his pants, and soon the small sailor was left only with a pair of boxer underclothes.

"His transformation is going slower…" Sora observed. Small gills had only started to peak from the small neck, which was purple with bruises. Yellow spots were on the small sailor's side. "Roxas, where do you hurt?"

No response from the blond. Axel was silently staring at the young man. He was sure the small human was going to die there in his lap. Sora pulled slightly on the sailor's eyelids. Black pupils were slowly responsive. He slowly pulled his hands over the boy's head, feeling carefully. He traced his hands down the collar bones and over ribs. Three-quarters down the small chest he gasped. "Curaga," he said, distinctly with purpose, and kept his hands over a spot on the left side.

Small, pale hands cupped his own. Roxas moved slightly, curling into more of a fetal position.

"Does anywhere else hurt, Roxas?" Sora said, slightly tired.

"No, but I'm cold…tired," the blond said. His eyes were still shut.

"Sleep, then," Axel said gently, and the blond in his lap acquiesced.


	9. Chapter 9: Unusual Houseguests

**A/N: serious lovin' due to my amazing beta, the magnificent, marvelous "musicalmuffin." This chapter is much easier to read, and a bit more comprehensible due to her efforts. Oh, and, what the readers care about-It's published way sooner than it would've been if it were just me working on it. Big round of applause to musicalmuffin!**

**

* * *

**

Ch. 9 Sora and Axel's Unusual Houseguests

Roxas felt weak. It was like there was a pressure on his chest, making it hard to breathe, and he had to physically force air through his lungs: inhale air in, force it back out. One of his hands was warmer than the other, like someone had been holding it. He moved his head to the side. He felt stiff.

There was a rush, like the sound of movement through leaves, but different from that as well. Somehow, the sound was more muddled and clearer at the same time. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Rah-khas," a voice said, gently. Warms hands clasped around Roxas' exposed hand again. It was comforting for a moment, and then Roxas hissed in pain. His eyes still closed, he pulled his hurt ankle instinctively towards him.

"I thought the elixir would have healed that…" the voice mused. "…Interesting."

"It hurts," Roxas cried, trying to get his hands to his ankle, but too weak to even open his eyes. He felt disjointed and disoriented.

"Shh…I'll fix it. I'm sorry I burnt you like that in the first place. It really was an accident," the voice cooed and Roxas felt a warm hand caress his face, relaxing the muscles that flexed in reaction to pain.

"You're…" Roxas tried to summon the name of the merman, completely confused. More confusing was the sudden absence of warmth from his face and hand, and then that odd woosh sound of rushing movement. He felt heat in his heel, and his foot was delicately lifted from the bed he was on. He felt warm breath on his ankle, and shuddered. A warm wet heat deftly padded the spot where the burn was. He felt immediate relief. The sensation moved, like a brush stroke. It was a warm, soothing sensation: a gentle pressure over his burn, moving from below it, upward and over it towards his knee, then lifting and starting over again at the base of the burn, continuing until all of his ankle had been caressed, treated. Roxas smiled. For the first time in days, there was no throbbing coming from his ankle. Weariness pressed in on him, and he felt himself falling back asleep. He forced himself awake, just long enough to say, "Thank you."

Roxas turned slightly, still with a gentle smile on his face. Axel's own face adopted a similar smile. "Rest well," he said, putting covers over the small blonde. He gently brushed lightly colored hair back from Roxas's forehead. Axel smiled down at the small being: half-man, half-merman. Roxas' transformation, which was slower than Riku's, was now complete. Small pink gills decorated the petite sailor's neck, his fingers were webbed, and light blue scales covered his lower body, starting right below his naval, and flowing down his two still-separate legs to finned feet. The readhead tilted his head to the side at the odd looking creature: he wasn't really a man, and wasn't really a merman. He belonged in neither of the two worlds right now. Axel glanced at his own, golden scaled tailfin, then at the two separate light blue tailfin/legs of the blond. Anyone of the merfolk's world would recognize immediately that Roxas was not a full merperson. Rather, he was an aquatic creature, more similar to mankind than merfolk. Roxas and Riku staying with Sora and Axel, then, would have to be a secret for the six tide cycles (1.5 months) of the two men's temporary transformation.

Axel let out a sigh of relief as he watched the blond look peaceful in his slumber. The redhead swam quietly out of his room, shutting the door slowly behind him. As he entered the living room, he saw Riku and Sora, still perching on the couch. They had moved closer together since he left several hours ago, and seemed enraptured by their private conversation with one another. Even from the journey when the mermen had brought Roxas and Riku home with them, Sora and Riku seemed to click together, like two puzzle pieces fitting into one another. Their conversation flowed easily, and the two seemed to have an instantaneous understanding of one another.

Sora stirred from his conversation with Riku, looking at his older brother as he entered the room, moving towards the kitchen. "Is Roxas awake yet?" The strange, foreign name of the blond seemed to easily roll off of Sora's tongue. Axel guessed that Riku had talked at length about the little seaman. He wondered what was said.

"He was slightly awake for a moment. I don't think he realizes all that has happened yet. He's resting again now," Axel explained. Riku yawned largely, while listening.

"Is he still hurting?" Riku asked, looking genuinely worried.

This annoyed Axel, although he didn't waste time trying to decipher why. "No," he responded, "he's resting peacefully now. You seem tired: I wouldn't be surprise if the transformation took quite a bit out of you as well."

Sora looked surprised and looked at Riku again. "He's right!" the small brunet said with concern. "You look tired! I'm sorry for keeping you awake! You can go rest in my room if you like. I'll show it to you." Sora was off the couch and pulling Riku who clumsily drifted off the couch as well.

Riku kicked his tailfins oddly, as if he were trying to walk through the water, and Sora smiled sympathetically and pulled him along. Riku's face turned an odd shade of pink, "It was nice to talk with you."

Axel grabbed some seaweed to munch on from the kitchen and watched as Sora pulled an awkwardly moving Riku to his room. _What odd creatures_, he thought_, weird ways of moving, weird body parts…What a weird way to blush. That awful, pinkish color. It looks unhealthy. _Axel took a big bite of the dark greenish black seaweed and chewed. _How bizarre._

_

* * *

_

**A/N: you may be asking yourself, "what exactly did Axel do to Roxas's ankle to heal it?" Well, my friends, that section was purposefully ambiguous, and you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out. **

**A/N: Every time you review, an angel gets its wings. **


	10. Chapter 10: Birth by Sleep

**a/n: about damn time, eh? Musical Muffin gets huge thanks for beta-ing this a while ago. i didn't really like this chapter, especially because i had no idea what to do after it, so i didn't post it. Now (as of yesterday) i know what's going to happen next, so i feel free to put up this chappie. If I'm lucky, i'll be able to get the next chapter to muffin-chan today or tomorrow, and the update will follow. **

**otherwise, it's christmas time which means I'm very busy since i work retail. updates to all stories will be slow at best. sorry folks, money (rent, livelihood) is important!  
**

* * *

Ch. 10 Birth By Sleep

Roxas stirred, waking up slowly. He still felt odd, but better than before. Rested. He rubbed his feet together underneath the silky soft bed sheet. _Huh,_ he thought, _my ankle's better_. He then sat up immediately. _Silky soft bed sheet?_

He looked around him. The air seemed to move as his head jerked. He brought up his hand to inspect the air. It wasn't air at all. It was water: he could feel it drag against his arm back as he raised it. He looked at his arm. His fingers were webbed. His eyes grew large with shock. _I'm underwater?_ He asked himself, and then pulled off the sheet to look a blue scales covering his bottom half, from right below his navel to his feet, which now had fins.

"AAAHHH!" he screamed, terrified of this nightmare.

Axel, Sora, and Riku heard the blood-curdling shriek from the dining room, where they were eating breakfast. Axel immediately sprang up and swam to his room, afraid something was wrong with the small blond who was so obviously frightened. Sora chuckled only slightly, and then escorted Riku, his face creased with worry for his young friend, to Roxas and Axel's room.

"I'm sure he's fine, just startled," Sora said soothingly, linking elbows with his silver-haired friend.

"What's wrong?" The red-head swung open the door and looked at the shaking blond aquatic creature, huddling himself on Axel's bed.

"I... I... You?" the blond shook harder. "Why can't I wake up from this dream?" He brought up balled fists to wipe away tears which immediately dissolved into the surrounding water anyway.

Axel swam cautiously towards the quivering small…thing. "Shh," he cooed as he sat on the edge of the bed, near Roxas, "It's alright. You're going to be fine. Sora found you and Riku badly injured, so he healed you the only way he knew how. You'll revert back to a human after six or so tide cycles." He reached out a hand to the trembling blonde, patting him on the head as he had seen Riku do. It seemed to be a small comfort to the petite one. Axel smiled.

"Roxas," Sora spoke inquisitively, seeking permission from both the blond and the redhead before entering. Axel nodded. Roxas looked up as Sora became visible and swam toward the bed, Riku in tow. Roxas, seeing Sora alone at first, started another large wail. His shaking got worse. Axel was increasingly disturbed at how upset the small creature was.

Sora pulled Riku towards the bed, and once close enough, Riku grabbed hold of it and awkwardly brought himself to his young friend. "Roxas," he called the blond gently. "It's okay, I'm here too. You aren't alone."

Roxas, in a swift forced motion, looked up, saw Riku's warm blue-green eyes filled with compassion and understanding, and then latched onto the silverette with both arms, crying into his shoulder. "Roxas, I know it's scary, but we'll be alright. We'll be human again in about six weeks. And Axel and Sora are nice and are letting us stay here." Riku patted his crewmate on the back fondly.

"This is so strange," Roxas took a deep breath and separated himself from the prince. "This is weird," he began again, "I can't smell anything, and I'm crying but I'm already wet." Roxas took a stammering breath, trying hard to calm himself.

"I know it's a lot to take in, to adjust to, but I really had no choice. You might have died," Sora explained, feeling sorry that he caused anyone pain.

"You probably would have died," Riku echoed morosely.

Roxas had stopped crying. He took in the room: Riku's similar form to himself, Sora and his now wild looking hair that stood up in the water as opposed to it hanging damply by his ears as it did when he first met the young merman. He looked over to Axel, who was sitting off to the side, objectively taking in Roxas in a similar way to how he himself was inspecting the others.

"I'm sorry I flipped out." He looked down at his webbed hands in his scaled lap. He looked at Sora, "Thank you for healing me." He glanced at Axel, "And thank you both for letting me stay." Axel swam out of the room without saying anything. Roxas frowned, worried if the redhead objected to him staying, and if this Axel didn't like him.

"No problem. It's great to have guests!" Sora chimed.

Axel returned a moment later with a large bowl of anemone crisps and seaweed. He set it down in the middle of the bed, between Riku, Sora, and Roxas. "It's food," he explained simply, and took a crisp and popped it into his mouth. Sora and Riku followed suit. Roxas timidly reached and grabbed a piece of seaweed, put the strange blackish thing in his mouth and chewed. _I wonder what I did to make him not like me_, Roxas mused as he swallowed the bitter vegetable politely.

* * *

**A/N: Please review, and tell me what you like and don't like, so i can give you more of good stuff and less of bad stuff.  
**


	11. Chapter 11: Crawl, then Walk

**a/n: BIG thanks to musical muffin who beta'ed this a long time ago. sorry to readers for the delay, life has been super busy over xmas and is just now quieting down...sorta. **

**

* * *

**

Chapter 11: You have to crawl before you can walk

Riku and Sora stared at their friends across the table. Sora wondered what was up with Axel lately. He was generally sarcastic and always had a quick comeback, but lately he was quiet and composed, depressed and distracted. He would leave for several hours at a time, on one of his swims, only to return in no better of a mood than when he left. He spoke only a few words at a time to anyone, and had let Roxas take his bed for the evenings. Axel slept on the couch in the living room. Originally, Sora figured he would sleep in the spare bedroom which had been turned into an office, but it still had a futon in it. However Axel stayed in the living room, adjacent to Sora and now Roxas's bedrooms. Had Roxas done something to Axel to upset him? This was very unusual behavior for the red head, who would usually confront people head on if they had a problem with him.

Meanwhile, Riku stared at Roxas. He was glad his young friend had calmed down and started adjusting to living underwater. Although he didn't see him eat much food, Roxas seemed to be trying to get normalcy back in his life. He got along with Sora, and joined their conversations often. Sora and Roxas seemed very similar to one another, like sides of the same coin. Only Sora had some maturity and inner strength and stability that Roxas lacked. There was also something else, something inner power or light in Sora that attracted Riku to him. It was like he couldn't turn away from the young merman.

Riku blinked a few times. He noticed some small twitches in Roxas. The young blond was acting exactly like he did on the ship after the wind blew out. Perhaps he was blaming himself for something that wasn't in his power again, and this could be combined with not having left the house for several days. Riku took in a deep breath. He hadn't left the house either, but didn't feel restless at all. He felt…complete. He felt whole when he was with Sora.

Sora let his spoon drop with a muted clang, and stretched from post-meal weariness. Riku turned to him, "Want to finish that book?"

Sora's face lit up. He loved when Riku would read from human books to him. He loved his voice, how close he would be when they read together, his presence…his everything. "Sure!" Sora replied grabbed the dishes, dumped them in the sink, then swam quickly to their room. Riku smiled at Roxas, who returned the gesture ever-warmly, then swam slowly, but almost elegantly out of the room.

Roxas watched him leave a sighed slightly. Riku was able to adjust to movement underwater much quicker than Roxas could. Roxas still looked awkward and his movements were forced as he got up out of the chair and slowly made his way to the sink. He felt self-conscious: Axel was just sitting at the table, staring into space again. A few times, Roxas would catch the redhead staring at him, but the gaze would soon be broken. Roxas began cleaning the dishes, thought whirring in his head. The tip of his tail fin trembled anxiously. _What did I do to make him hate me? I didn't want to put him out of his bedroom but he insisted. Maybe he's not comfortable in the living room? Maybe he doesn't like humans. But he seems fine with Riku, he just doesn't like me? He talks with Riku and has normal polite conversations with him, but he won't say two words to me. Does it bug him that I'm not royalty like the rest of them? Did I do something horrible? He seems so nice, why doesn't he like me? What can I do—_

"Roxas, I'll be back in a few hours," Axel said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Roxas dropped his dishes and turned suddenly to the redhead, who looked at him curiously. "Where do you _go_?" Roxas asked, with a voice that exposed his internal exasperation.

Axel's face grew more unreadable. He tilted his head to the side. "Would you like to see?" He gave a small smile.

"Yes!" Roxas said, a dish slipping out of his hand. It made a loud noise and Roxas flinched in the water. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

Axel chuckled to himself. "Don't worry about it." He flashed Roxas a small smile. The blonde's face lit up and entire posture changed, straightened. Axel gave the blonde a brief, sidelong glance, as he was once again confused by Roxas's mystifying, bizarre reactions.

Roxas watched as Axel left the room, and then stumbled after him. The redhead was waiting at the front door as he watched Roxas jerkily move around the furniture in the living room. He smiled as Roxas cautiously passed a lamp which he had almost knocked off a few days ago when the blonde first was venturing around the small home. Roxas hesitated as he reached to threshold to the world outside the small house.

"Alright?" Axel queried.

The blond nodded and slowly edged himself outside. He looked out over an expanse of dark blue. He looked up and saw the faint glimmer of sunlight, but it almost burned his eyes. He quickly turned away.

Axel laughed, "Don't look directly at the sunlight. It can harm your eyes."

Roxas rubbed his blue eyes with webbed fingers. "Thanks for the warning," he said gently, sincerely.

Axel's face turned serious once more. He turned away from the blonde and began swimming forward. Roxas was beguiled by how the redhead swam: his movements were strong and fluid at the same time. His swimming almost reflected his personality: powerful, passionate, and elegant. At maybe a hundred yards the redhead stopped suddenly. Roxas caught himself as Axel looked back at him. The blonde flinched from the sudden intense eye contact he held with the redhead. Roxas lowered his gaze as his cheeks burned, and then he kicked hard to catch up with merman, who watched him with an unreadable expression the entire while.

When Roxas reached Axel, the redhead clicked. Axel saw Roxas flinch again. Roxas watched as Axel shook his head lightly. The two looked at one another, unable to understand one another.

After a moment, Roxas broke the uneasy silence. "Sorry," he sputtered out quickly. "I'm sorry I can't swim fast."

"Huh?" Axel looked perplexed. He had noticed that the blond couldn't swim well…at all, but he was more concerned about the blonde's odd comportment than his awkward inability to swim. "Oh," Axel started again shaking off his thoughts. "It's fine. If I were on land, I would probably have a hard time moving as well." He hoped his off-the-cuff consolation would make the small seaman feel better. He watched carefully as Roxas took a deep breath and nodded firmly, smiling a little, although it didn't seem genuine. Axel wondered to himself if he had seen the blonde smile a truly genuine smile since his arrival under the sea. He remembered the blonde being much peppier when he was fully human. At that time, Roxas seemed to almost share the same undimmable cheerful personality Sora had.

Axel shook the thoughts from his head again, and Roxas tilted his own, in contemplation of why the redhead kept giving out negative signals. _Maybe he's frustrated with me,_ Roxas thought, _but what he says shows nothing if not compassion and understanding. He—_

"Try linking your arm with mine, like you see Sora and Riku do," Axel said, and tentatively held out his arm.

Roxas voiced an affirmative noise, nodded, and approached the redhead. He linked his arm around Axel's in a natural movement, then tried to grasp his hand, only to realize that the webbing around his fingers did not allow such a grip. He couldn't interlace his fingers with Axel's, but the redhead seemed to sense some confusion on the seaman's part, and pressed his hand around the smaller's. "We do it like this," he explained.

Roxas blushed deeply. This seemed much more intimate than simply holding hands like one did with a sibling when one was young. Roxas remembered swinging hands with the other "street urchins" while walking down alleyways. He missed those kids. A small smile of reminiscence reached his lips, but his eyes were still sad. Axel, ever vigilant, was once again confused by the odd emotional response of this human. The merman shifted slightly against the blond, and Roxas looked up into entrancing green emeralds with a blush on his face. He could feel warmth emanating from the merman's skin, and the feeling tingled in him, like a chemical electricity. Axel's hand had wound around Roxas's so that it enveloped his, but still allowed for some slight movement. It was as if Axel's hand formed a warm, silky space into which Roxas's could slip easily.

"Let's go," Axel said in a distant voice. Roxas merely nodded and the two began swimming. Axel took languid strokes of his tail, pushing him forward in slow pulses. Roxas dragged behind him in-tow, kicking each of his feet separately and dragging the pair. After a short distance, Axel stopped them both, and glanced at the small blonde. Roxas was breathing heavily, his gills moving fast.

"I don't know how to move right," Roxas said, _I feel so stupid._

"I'll teach you," Axel volunteered, and firmed his grip on the blond's arm, pulling him along. Roxas didn't kick this time. "Feel my rhythm?" Axel posed in a deep voice.

"Yes," Roxas managed a whisper which still sounded sharp in the empty water.

"Emulate my rhythm, but offset it. So when I push down with my tail, you will be pulling up with yours." Axel explained. He felt as if he was trying to explain to an infant how to swim, but he was well aware that Roxas was far from a sea guppy.

The first few strokes, Roxas managed to keep his fins together, but they followed Axel's movements instead of reflecting them. After a few more attempts however, he succeeded in offsetting his movements from the redhead, and the two sped forward.

After several minutes, Axel turned to the blond and smiled. Roxas returned the smile warmly. "You're doing well," Axel said quietly then turned his red bio-luminescent gaze back to the navy blue water in front of them. "We're almost there."

* * *

**a/n: reviews help motivate me to post more sooner. so, there are benefits to both of us, if you push that little "review this chapter" button. Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12: Similar, but not the Same

**A/N: ohmygosh! an update. really? this is the chapter that helped break through a writers block a while back. i hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Chapter 12- Similar, but not that Same as Before

As they cleared a final ridge, Roxas's jaw dropped at the sight before him. There was a vast canyon out of which stood great towers of rock. He could barely discern the base of these…mountains. Or were they chimneys? His eyes inspected the tall willowly fingers of vocanic rock, twisting from a barely visible sea floor up, up, and further up. He spun around quickly in the water—an old habit in response to disorientation, searching the water above him for any hint of sunlight. There was none, but somehow, as he turned his eyes back to the mesmerizing pillars, the scene was alive with color. He could see the faint glow of red and black on the sea floor, probably magma flows. His eyes traced the lines of the rock upward: past pretty pink branches of spongy coral and explosions of spider web thin orange plants. Near the tops of these stony structures the grayish black rock was offset by a coating of oscillating white, creating a snow capped appearance. He focused in on the white layer, which appeared to be thousands of small moving creatures. Their white shells contrasting starkly with the rock to which they were anchored. Erupting from these white tips was billowing black/gray plumes.

"Is that smoke?" the small, curious man asked.

"Ash," Axel corrected, "and some gases released from the volcano." He smiled at the look of wonder on his young companion's face. "Let's get closer." He held his hand out. Roxas pushed himself closer to the redhead and they swam towards the middle of the mountain.

Roxas could feel the water temperature rise quickly as they neared the rock. He placed his hand on the warm stone and could only let it remain there for a moment.

Axel swam off a bit to do his own exploring, but also to sneak private glances at the small unsuspecting man from a distance. Roxas awkwardly maneuvered around the mountain. He came across bunches of pink coral and swam through them, feel the soft sponge on his fingers. They caressed the skin on his back and the scales on his tails.

"Roxas?" Axel's voice sounded nervous through the water.

"Yes," he emerged from the pale pink waves around him. Axel looked at the blonde, pink setting off brilliant blue eyes that glinted with a golden over-sheen.

Eyes blinked and a voice spoke. "Did I do something wrong? You're staring at me again." He spoke lowly, eyes staring down at the tips of his tailfins.

"Oh," Axel caught himself, turning bright green with embarrassment. "Let's go up near the summit," he said, his voice suddenly taking a serious timbre.

"Okay," Roxas swam slowly, but fluidly to his side and the two ascended.

Axel noticed Roxas's breathing speed up. The blonde was looking around excitedly at the thousands of small shrimp that formed a crawling cover over the peak; each scrambling, competing for space on the porous black rock.

"Whoa," Roxas murmured, transfixed by the movement of organic and inorganic displayed in front of him. Axel chuckled to himself at the transfixed blonde. He let go of the small hand then swam robustly into the jets of ash. Roxas watched as red hair and bronze scales flashed through the pillars of gray. Swift, firm movements whipped the ash outward in intermittent flicks of his tail.

Roxas felt very warm, but was distracted by the powerful beauty of Axel swimming in the ash columns. After a few moments, Axel swam directly toward him, eyes glowing brightly like two glimmering nuggets of gold.

"Do you want to come," Axel began, then noticed a distant look on the Roxas' face. His eyes were vacant and had a dull golden sheen over them. "Rox, are you alright?"

Roxas suddenly felt a wave of weakness spread over his body. "No," he managed to whimper, as his shoulders collapsed into his chest. His eyes lost focus. Axel was by his side in an instant. "Too warm," the small one managed to say weakly.

Strong arms once more encircled him and Roxas was pressed against Axel's chest as the redhead sped away from the vents. After several minutes, Roxas felt considerably better, although far from energetic.

"Axel," he said trying to sound strong, "I could help us swim." He turned his head upward to see the lower part of Axel's face, but at this angle, he couldn't determine the merman's facial expression.

"No, it's not necessary," Axel spoke lowly. Roxas could feel his voice reverberate in his chest. "I already made you push yourself too hard for one day, anyway."

"You didn't make me do anything," Roxas said, defiance giving his voice a little more edge, although not much.

Axel was quiet for a moment, but continued swimming at full speed. "I still want to get you home as soon as possible," he finally stated.

Roxas relented, nodding into the larger merman's chest. He blinked a few times in contemplation: Axel was worried for him? Axel was trying to protect him?

* * *

**A/N: sea coral crisps to those who review! yay feedback! most of the next chapter is already written, and i'm starting on the following one soon. **


	13. Chapter 13: Inhalation

**A/N: the long awaited update!**

**A/N: thanks for reviewers: ksienie, animeXIII, emy, wintertundra, falsetruthscore, ladyofwinds, bluemoon, ifilb3rt, girlygirl12345, demise angel, and dearest captara! Plus others i've missed. **

**A/N: huge thanks to musical muffin, my beta, who does a great job and makes this more enjoyable for you all! **

* * *

Chapter 13 – Inhalation

"Sora!" Axel's loud voice startled Roxas, who had been resting peacefully in the redhead's arms as they were silently swimming home.

Axel sped to his room and gently put Roxas on his bed.

"Axel, I'm fine! I'm better," the blonde sat up. "I'm—" his breath caught and he immediately put a hand on his chest. The vibrant green eyes narrowed.

"Riku's sleeping," Sora said in a loud, slightly annoyed whisper. He saw Roxas's posture and his eyes grew large. "What's wrong?" his voice instantly filled with concern and he swam to the blonde's side.

A small hand pushed on the blonde's shoulder, "Lie down," Sora said. Roxas's own hand came up to rest on Sora's.

"Your hand is shaking," Sora observed.

Roxas took a shuddering breath. He felt like he could only breathe in shallow spurts.

"How long has he been like this?" Sora said, touching Roxas's forehead, feeling for a fever, and looking into his eyes.

"About fifteen minutes or so," Axel said, moving a triangular spike of hair from the side of Roxas's face. Unfocused eyes moved to the redhead.

"He's having trouble breathing," Sora observed, mostly to himself, as he tried to think what could have caused the condition. "And he's sick," he murmured, "but you're not." He looked at the redhead. "Where were you guys anyway?" Sora looked at his brother owlishly.

"The vents in the canyon," Axel answered with a slightly helpless look on his face.

"The vents?" Sora parroted. "Axel, you idiot! Did he get really close to them?"

"Of course, swimming in the ash is the best—" Axel stopped himself from explaining when Sora quickly swam from the room.

"I'll be right—" Axel began to excuse himself and follow Sora, but Roxas's small hand wrapped around his wrist. There was a pained expression on the Roxas's face. "I'll stay," Axel held Roxas's hand and lightly placed the other one on the side of the blonde's face.

After what seemed like hours to the redhead, his little brother finally came back with a cup filled with something.

"Okay, Roxas, this is not going to be fun, and it may not even work, but you have to try," Sora said quickly as he sat next to the blonde. "Axel, I'm going to need your help too.

"Roxas, I'm going to need you to take as big of a breath as you can, then let it out. Then Axel is going to cover and hold close your gills and I am going to have you breathe in this medicine from your nose and mouth. It will probably burn and feel thick, and taste horrible. I'm sorry, just bear with it. Take in as much as you can, try to hold it for as long as possible, then Axel is going to release your gills and I'm going to hold you nose and mouth. Try to breathe out the medicine through your gills. It's a purifier, but it needs to take that route through your body to work." Sora explained.

Axel was somewhat amazed at his little brother's knowledge, but his attention soon turned back to the shaking blond.

"I'm ready," Roxas said resolutely, even though Axel could feel the trembling increase in the blonde.

Roxas took a big and painful breath. As he exhaled, warm hands pressed relaxingly over Roxas's gills on his neck. Sora pressed the bowl over his nose and mouth and Roxas took in the concoction. It was like breathing in heavy vapors in the kitchen. It was over powering at first, but he managed to get the medicine into his lungs. Axel's hands released his gills and then cupped over his nose and mouth. Then the burning began. Roxas's eyes welled up and he tried to exhale through his neck, but the heat just went to his nose.

"Try your gills, Roxas, you're doing great, but push it out through your gills," Sora said soothingly.

Axel kept his hands on Roxas's nose and mouth, preventing the boy from breathing. Roxas put his own hands on Axel's trying to move them. He had to breathe now! The medicine was burning him. Roxas flinched under Axel's grip, and a bluish black cloud appeared at the side of this neck.

"Eww, that's gross," Sora said, but sounded mostly relieved. Axel removed his hands from Roxas who took in a deep breath. The two looked at each other with a weary contentment.

Sora wiped some of the blackish blue residue from Roxas's gills. "See all that, Axel," he gestured through the black cloud around Roxas as he fanned it through the water, making it dissolve. "That was in his lungs! The arsenic released from those vents is poisonous to humans." Sora turned his look back to Roxas. "How do you feel?" he asked tenderly.

"Better," Roxas sighed. "A lot better."

"You may still not have full use of your lungs, so take it easy the next couple of days. No huge outings to the outer rim. You'll also probably have more of this black junk around your gills; just wipe it off when that happens. Some of the medicine is still working it's way through your system."

"Thanks, Sora," Roxas said gratefully.

"No problem," Sora yawned. "I'm going to go lie down with Riku and nap some now." Sora nodded to them both then exited the room.

"Do you really feel better?" Axel said, sadness in his tone as he settled next to Roxas on the bed.

"Tons," Roxas yawned, giving a small smile to the redhead who was looking at him. "Just a bit tired though."

The two sat in silence. Roxas's eyes drifted close.

"I'm sorry I brought you there," Axel murmured to himself when he thought the blonde had fallen asleep.

Blue eyes bolted open. "I'm not!" Roxas said. "It was amazing, and one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Please bring me back sometime, Axel. It was lovely!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. I'll bring you there again." Axel smiled. "Now get some rest, I know you're tired."

"Mmkay," Roxas's eyes were already closed. "Thank you, Axel."

"Anytime," was the soft response Roxas heard as he slipped into the blackness of sleep.

_Lovely, huh?_ Axel thought. _You're lovely, Roxas. _Axel remembered how striking the blond looked when he emerged from the pink sponge bushels: his blonde hair shimmering, pink glow on his cheeks, and his brilliant blue eyes lightened with a golden hue. He thought that just maybe, Roxas was like that soft pink sea coral: strong enough to thrive in the vicinity of a volcano, but still soft and delicate in nature. He once again brushed a lock of golden hair to the side of Roxas's face, admiring the soft and delicate features there, and the pink lips that probably matched the sea coral exactly.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Please review. **


	14. Chapter 14: Slow Developments

**a/n: okay guys, i know i haven't updated in forever. (one reader thought that the story had ended, but it isn't filed as "complete" so it isn't yet) these next two chapters were pieced together over five minutes of writing here, five minutes of writing there. ch 15 was written in one sitting on my flight back home tonight. i'm sorry these chapters maybe crappy- grammatically and substantially. i wanted to get an update up with out sending it through my poor patient beta. thank you guys for reading, and your faves, subs, and especially reviews have kept me writing this story. there is only a little bit left, but it is certainly taking it's time getting there. thanks for the support, and please keep giving it! **

* * *

Chapter 14- Slow Developments

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" a voice chimed loudly as a weight was pushed onto Roxas. He moaned and blinked. Two, brightly shining yellow eyes lit the darkness in front of him.

"Whoa! Did your eyes finally change, Sora? What are you doing in Axel's bed?" the voice asked chipperly.

"Huh? Who are you?" Roxas muttered, still trying to wake up. He blinked his own golden glowing eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them.

Suddenly, the weight was gone from Roxas and the blanket he had curled under was ripped off.

"You slept so much you don't even know your own brother?" the voice spoke and suddenly the room was filled with light. Roxas shaded his eyes and sat up.

"Whoa! You dyed your hair?" the voice said astonished.

Roxas lowered his hand and blinked at a thin merman with odd blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Wait! Who are you?" the blond looked shocked. He glanced over Roxas and stared at his leg-fins. "What—What are you?"

Roxas pulled his legs to his chest, feeling shy at being scrutinized right after waking up. "Erm…I'm—" his voice was scratchy and hoarse. His attempt to speak made him cough fiercely.

"Demyx," Axel's voice came from the hallway. He sounded aggravated. He swam into the bedrrom looking rather grumpy and sat down on the bed next to Roxas, who was still coughing. Roxas felt the relaxing caress of warm fingers on his neck, only for them to be pulled away too soon.

"Demyx, this is Roxas. He's a human and staying here for a few more weeks. There's another human here as well, named Riku, who's staying in Sora's room." Axel turned his gaze to Roxas, and gave him a small smile. "Roxas, this is Demyx, one of mine and Sora's brothers."

"Nice to—" Roxas started coughing again. Tears snaked out of the corners of his eyes and his chest hurt.

A warm hand patted him on the back and slim fingers were again caressing his neck. "You're still working the ash out of your system," Axel spoke gently, "Maybe you should rest some more. Try to get some more sleep?"

Roxas nodded. Demyx looked apologetic, gave him back his blanket, and Axel tucked him in. The two brothers left the room, and Roxas fell back to sleep quickly.

Roxas stirred awake a few hours later. He sat up and felt much more refreshed. He gently swiped his fingers over his gills and looked at them. He noticed they were clean and he smiled. He looked at the pillow he had been lying on and saw some of the black gunk spread on it but not much. He slowly got out of bed and drifted to the kitchen where Demyx, Axel, Riku, and Sora sat around the table.

"Good morning, Roxas!" Sora cheerfully greeted as the blond sat down at the table and helped himself to the fruit-looking food on the table.

"G'morning," Roxas sighed and yawned a little. Not completely awake nor aware, he didn't notice everyone staring at him as he slowly peeled the fruit.

"How did you all meet anyway?" Demyx posed to the table.

"Well," Sora began, "I was kinda watching a boat…umm…often…you know, the one we saw together once. So, I watched, and Axel joined me." He paused, then looked at Riku with a trace of worry, "You humans are so different from us. It's interesting." Sora looked somewhat abashed, but Riku gave him a warm smile and a squeeze on the shoulder.

Axel rolled his eyes at the moment happening between the two, and then continued the story, skipping most of the details. "Well, there was an emergency, and Roxas and Riku fell into the water gravely hurt. Sora rescued them, gave them each half of a Cure-all, and here we are."

"So, you guys met, after this emergency?" Demyx asked.

"Well, me and Riku did. Axel had met Roxas in the water before hand, and burned him," Sora added in.

Axel stiffened by Roxas's side and looked down at his lap, as if embarrassed.

"It was an accident!" Roxas defended energetically, stunning everyone at the table. His shyness returned to him a moment later as everyone stared. "Besides, he healed me on the of the first days we were down here."

Demyx leaned in, "he _healed _your burn?" He blinked at the smaller blond.

"Umm…yeah…when I was unconscious…I don't really remember much of what happened that first week down here."

Demyx gave Axel a huge, megawatt smile and the redhead glared at him. Riku watched the interaction, but was still listening to Sora talk about a school of pretty migrating fish expected to come through their part of the ocean shortly. Demyx and Axel got up and brought dishes to the sink and began cleaning them.

Riku turned his eyes to his old friend Roxas, who seemed deep in contemplation.

Roxas was thinking about Riku and Sora, and how close their relationship was. They seemed to have an immediate tight bond, but as he thought about it, they must also be coming together through talking, since he always saw them together, always talking about something. He and Axel had a different type of relationship. Well, maybe it was the same. While they didn't talk as much to one another, what they said had more importance, in its own awkward way. They had grown closer too, although, instead of through conversation, it was through shared experience, both of dangerous situations and witnessing the beauty of the gorge. He felt closer to Axel now than he ever had before, and certainly understood him much better. He felt someone looking at him, then glanced up to see Riku's sedate gaze. He smiled warmly at his friend, as if to communicate "I get it now." The smile was returned.

* * *

**everyone all together now, "please review!"**


	15. Chapter 15: The Wiggling of Eyebrows

Chapter 15: The Wiggling of Eyebrows

Axel held in a sigh as Demyx swam up to him when he was at the sink.

"So," the dirty blond whispered conspiratorially, "You healed Roxas's burn, huh? Where was this burn?"

Axel kept his gaze on the glass he cleaned. "On his ankle. You aren't going to drop this, are you?"

"Not a chance. Especially since Sora says you've changed since you met the little half…erm…creature."

Axel narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice more. "He's a human, even if he's in aquatic form."

"A human whom you like?"

"Drop it, Dem," Axel growled.

With an audible sigh, Demyx retreated back to the table. Axel joined a minute later, sitting next to Roxas again. Roxas felt the redhead's tension, but didn't want to question it at the moment. He gave Axel a reassuring smile then glanced at the table.

"How do you guys have pepper underwater?" Roxas asked the table during a moment of silence.

"What's pep-her?" Sora asked.

"It's a spice," Roxas's face at once gained its familiar confused expression. He reached to the middle of the table. "This spice," he said as he picked up a small vial of black flakes.

"I don't know about peh-peh—whatever, but we call that seaweed flakes," Demyx said.

"I didn't even notice that," Riku said silently next to Roxas.

"You don't notice much outside of Sora," Roxas replied quietly. Axel chuckled and Riku hid his blush by attacking the blonde and playfully messing up his hair which already stood on end in the water.

Sora laughed as the two play-fought. Axel, who was smiling at first, slowly looked more and more serious.

"Roxas, if you want to know more about the food we eat, you could help me make dinner tonight," Sora suggested smiling. "If you feel like it, that is. If you want to."

"That would be fun," Roxas replied beaming. He glanced over at Axel whose mood had seemed to have even gotten worse. "Umm, Axel?" Roxas whispered. Demyx, Riku, and Sora were talking about migrating fish again.

Axel looked at him with a blank expression. He raised his eyebrows at the human.

"Do you need to…want to…go on a swim somewhere?" Roxas looked down at his hands.

"Yeah, that would be great," Axel got up and gave the blond a relaxed smile. He swam to the door and Roxas watched his powerfully graceful movements. At the exit of the dining room, he abruptly turned, looking at the small blond. "You coming?" he asked.

Roxas smiled, nodded, and swam to join him. For the next couple of hours, the two serenely swam beside one another. They didn't say much, but every once in a while, Roxas would get excited about something, and Axel would smile, or Axel would point out something, and Roxas would hum his approval.

* * *

**a/n: yeah, slow filler. but transitions are a necessary evil. the next chapter is a big one, so review and poke and prod me to finish writing it and post it. **

ps- i have no idea why demyx is in this story. none whatsoever.


	16. Chapter 16: Intentions

**a/n: well, this isnt the chapter i thought it would be. here it is, nonetheless. please let me know what you think with a review or pm.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Intentions

"Hey guys! I'm glad you're back!" Sora greeted the pair as the reentered the house. "Axel, you shouldn't keep Roxas out so long when he was sick just last night."

"I'm fine," Roxas said, but his sentence turned into a yawn.

"Go lie down for a bit, I'll get you when it's time to make dinner, 'kay?" Sora said.

"Sure," Roxas said as he drifted to Axel's room.

Axel put the blanked again over the small blond, and brushed his hand protectively over the smaller's forehead and hair.

Roxas slightly leaned into the touch. "You're warmer than Sora and Dem," he observed quietly, his eyes closed.

"It's my gift. I have fire ability, and a little healing. Sora is a full healer, and Dem is a siren," Axel explained.

"Your gift is warmth. That's nice…and fitting," Roxas said as he drifted to peaceful sleep.

"Rest well and wake easy, Roxas," Axel whispered and lightly kissed Roxas on the forehead.

Axel retired to the living room where he found Sora and Riku in one of their normal whispered conversations. Both nodded to Axel, as he picked up a book and opened it. "Where's Dem?" the redhead posed.

"Said he had some things to do," Sora responded.

The three passed the time quietly until a larger-than-life, blond, mullet-haired prince arrived with a basket of produce.

"Hi everyone!" he chimed and then swam to the kitchen.

Axel followed him in, "So, who did you see?"

"I saw nobody. I just went to get some food the humans probably haven't eaten around here yet." Demyx avoided eye contact with Axel by taking the fruits out of the basket.

"Aww, come on, Dem! If you don't tell me who got you saw then I'm going to start guessing." Axel raised his voice playfully.

"If you do, I'm going to start asking about Roxas," Demyx glanced at the redhead with a mischievous smirk.

"You're my brother and one of my best friends, I don't hide anything from you," Axel replied plainly. "You should—"

"So, you licked his ankle, huh?" Dem said with a broad smile. He lift his eyebrows at his "honest and open" brother.

"Erm, well, you see, that—" Axel began.

"You _licked_ Roxas's ankle?" a new voice entered the room. Riku stood at the threshold, fists balled, barely containing his anger.

Sora appeared at his side and tried to calm him. "Now, Riku, I'm sure Axel-"

"What are your intensions toward little Roxas?" Riku hissed.

"_Little _Roxas?" Demyx smiled. _I bet Sora's glad he's not the 'little' one anymore._ Dem and Sora exchanged glances that proved the thought to be true.

Axel straightened. "My intentions are completely honorable," he seethed. "What are your intentions towards little Sora?"

Sora visibly deflated. Dem gave him an empathetic look.

Riku began sternly "My intentions are—"

"Too honorable," Sora replied bored. Axel and Riku looked shocked. Demyx gave his brother a broad smile then high fived him as he exited the kitchen.

"We should talk," Riku said and pulled Sora towards his room.

"But, Riku, all we do is talk. I want to—" Sora's voice faded as the pair swam further away from the kitchen. Axel looked down to the raw fruit across the counter and began to take care of it.

A few moments later, Axel drifted through the living room towards his room.

"I didn't mean for everyone to find out," Dem said, looking up from a guitar and music magazine.

"I know. Honestly, I don't know whether to be annoyed or thankful right now," Axel conceded.

"Well, all that probably had to come out sooner or later. Does Roxas know?" Dem asked.

"Does Zexion?" Axel looked wearily at his brother, to whom he was now feeling more annoyed than thankful.

"Yes, we're going on a date tomorrow." Demyx looked like the cat who caught two canaries.

"I'll tell him soon," Axel said and entered his room to watch Roxas sleep peacefully.

* * *

**a/n: did you guys like that? let me know. plzkthnx.**


	17. Chapter 17: More Misunderstandings

Chapter Seventeen: More Misunderstandings

"Rooooxxxxaaaaassss!" Sora's voice came in the room.

"Why do you have to wake him? He looks so peaceful." Axel's voice chastised quietly.

"He said he wanted to help. Besides, if he sleeps all day he won't be able to sleep later tonight." Sora stated matter-of-factly.

"For the youngest brother, you certainly act like a mother," Dem responded.

"Roooxxxx!" Sora said again and Roxas slowly opened his eyes.

"Yeah," Roxas pushed himself up, "Thanks for waking me up." He blinked at Axel, who was sitting next to him. Axel turned a slight green shade. Roxas was once again confused, but got up and followed Sora to the kitchen.

Roxas learned a lot about underwater fare while helping Sora prepare a six course meal, made from all the fresh ingredients Demyx had picked out earlier. Unfortunately, the mullet-haired siren had to leave early to eat dinner with the royal family.

After dinner, the four sat around the table, happy from their meal. Roxas and Riku had a small, private conversation while Sora and Axel fought over candied kelp.

"You and your way loooooong arms," Sora playfully hit Axel's hand that was stealing some of his dessert.

"At least I don't have weird, brown hair!" Axel joked with Sora.

"At least I don't look like I always have a concussion!" Sora replied.

Axel playfully glared at Sora, but was quiet. Roxas agreed with Riku to talk again soon, but was distracted by Axel's crossed-arm posture.

"What's up, guys?" Roxas asked.

Sora replied, "He's just pouting because there's someone that doesn't find him beautiful."

Axel looked astonished. "Why I—"

"That's ridiculous," Roxas began. "He's the most charming and handsome person I've met." Axel turned his astonished expression to Roxas, who quickly realized what he had just confessed, turned red, and quickly albeit clumsy exited the room.

Sora looked after him worried. "Is he sick? That red color can't be natural."

Riku chuckled. "He's not sick, physically at least. He's embarrassed. We blush red when we're embarrassed."

Axel scoffed. "We blush a normal color."

Riku looked at him, challenging.

Sora answered for him. "Green. Axel, shouldn't you go after him."

"No, that will make him more embarrassed," the redhead reasoned. He figured he was the last person Roxas would want to see at the moment.

"Riku, you?" Sora queried.

"No," Riku responded, and then qualified, "He's running away from the fact that Axel doesn't care about him, he probably needs some time on his own."

Axel's glare was lethal. "Of course I care about him!"

Riku smirked, and Sora realized it was all Riku's ploy to get Axel to admit his feelings. Sora sighed, "Axel, don't kill Riku. I'm going to check on Roxas."

* * *

**a/n: short chapter, but we got roxas to admit his attraction and axel to admit his feelings (but not to roxas!) **

**If anyone were to draw (doodle) some fanart for this, I would more than love to put links of it up in the story. Just saying.**

**(see, I didn't solicit for reviews this time. ;-p )  
**


	18. Chapter 18: Making Mistakes

**a/n: i'm trying to wrap up this story by this weekend that way i can focus on my akuroku day story next week. big shout out to chocomiiilk13 and ksienie for reviewing. plx review ppl!**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Making Mistakes

Roxas sat at the front door, leaning against the doorframe. Sora approached him, gestured for permission to join him. Roxas gave a small nod, and the brunet sat down next to the blond seaman "Hey," blue eyes glanced over.

"Hey," Roxas responded politely, but was obviously deep in thought.

Sora looked at Roxas, inspecting his somber face and depressed posture. "Axel can be a little…clumsy sometimes."

"He's seems really graceful to me," Roxas rebutted. "I'm certainly more awkward. How many times have I knocked over that lamp?" He let out a humorless chuckle.

Sora blinked, then fixed his eyes in the distanced much like Roxas. "I mean, he's awkward with people. He puts on this kind of act when he's around other people, but every now and then he gets tired of it, and goes off on his own."

Roxas listened attentively, but he became confused by this rendition of Axel.

Sora saw the confused expression, and went on. "Though you probably have never seen him put on that front. He seems to act only like himself around you. And I think that's a good thing. You bring out a good side of him. He must feel safe enough around you to not feel the need to act like the clown."

"You really think so?" Roxas turned expressive eyes to the brunet.

"I do," Sora beamed, but then became serious again. "You seem like you've changed since you got here. On the ship, you seemed a lot happier."

"Oh, well, I was content there. The crewmen were nice enough, when they weren't teasing me." Roxas scowled at the memory of being tied upside down to his hammock. "But I don't know if I would say I was happy. Busier, definitely." Roxas paused for a moment, considering the difference between living on the water, and living underneath it. "I guess the biggest difference is," he glanced at Sora. He didn't realize this before actually sitting down and talking about it.

"Take your time," a voice said from behind them. Two pairs of blue eyes turned to see Axel coming forward. He then slid down on the other side of the door threshold, sitting back to back with Roxas.

"I…On the ship, and before then, I had a clearly defined roll. I was a crewman, or a waiter, or a street rat. And I was…equal to those around me." Roxas's voice became very small. "You all are royalty. I don't know how to—to—"

"Just be yourself, Roxas. You're our friend, we don't want to you be a commoner to our royalty. Just be yourself, and just a friend to us, like you've been to others." Sora replied.

The three were quiet for a moment. Roxas felt guilty for estranging himself from people who so sincerely wanted his friendship. "I'm sor—"

"It is really difficult," Axel interrupted. "Being yourself. Or figuring out how to be yourself, when your role always defines you. You've had a lot to adapt to here: your body changed, the world around you changed. You didn't ask for any of this, and I know you're grateful, but the way you've been acting surpasses that. You seem truly kind and you truly care about us, even though you hardly know us. You've been considerate of us, even though you are the one whose world has been turned upside down."

"I'm not all that great," Roxas muttered, blushing lightly.

Axel turned to face the blond, and Roxas glanced up into genuine emeralds. "Yes, Roxas, you are."

Roxas gave a small, slightly sad smile. He bit his quivering lip to not allow tears to escape.

"I know now that you are struggling. Thank you for trying so hard for our sakes. But you can relax. You can make mistakes. We aren't going anywhere. We'll still be your friend no matter how badly you mess up."

A tear leaked from the corner of Roxas's eye and he threw his arms around the redhead's neck. Axel eneveloped the small blond with warmth.

Sora, meanwhile, quietly got up and left the pair. As he re-entered the house, he thought to himself, _taught 'im everything he knows. _


	19. Chapter 19: The Beginning of the End

Happy belated AKUROKU DAY! WOOT! In celebration, you get the rest of this story, which I worked on yesterday and today

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: The Beginning of the End

Roxas rubbed the sleep from his eyes and drifted into the living room.

"Good morning, Roxas," Riku greeted him from the couch.

"G'morning," Roxas sleepily replied. He settled into a chair nearby, folding his leg-fins to his chest and resting his chin on his knees. "Where is everyone?"

"They are out," Riku began, but then started a different thread, "Roxas, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Roxas looked up the silver haired man. He sat up straighter. "Yes?" Roxas smiled gently to his friend.

"Remember when we were on the ship, and I told you I was looking for something, in all my journeys? I kept looking for a place, but once the novelty of each new land wore off, I only wanted to leave again and keep looking?"

"I remember. You looked…sad, almost hopeless." Roxas inspected Riku's face. He had a different light to his eyes now, than he did then. A warm smile filled Roxas's face.

"I found it, I found it here," Riku began. Roxas thought of all the wonders he saw with Axel.

"Roxas," Riku began, "I found the world I was looking for, in Sora's eyes."

Roxas's smiled widened. "I'm really happy for you." The blonde paused, "But don't we turn back into men shortly?"

"Yes, in three days. Axel, Demyx, and Sora are out looking for a spell to keep me permanently a merman," Riku explained.

"That's great. It would be too heartless if there wasn't a way to stay here, after all your searching." Roxas smiled.

"Roxas," Riku began again, "What do you want? Do you want to go back, or stay here?

"I…I never thought it was a choice. I assumed I would have to go." Roxas said unsure. "I could always come back…somehow."

"Well, if you give these to my family, and tell them how I…disappeared, they will no doubt reward you handsomely." Riku handed Roxas a necklace and his ring. Roxas put the chain with the crest of the royal family around his neck, and the signet ring fit loosely on his thumb.

Later in the day, Sora and Axel returned, with Demyx and another small merman. Sora made introductions, the small merman merely nodded politely at the two half-men.

Around the dinner table, Demyx seemed the only one who was excited. "We looked in the royal library for hours, and then I had to meet up with Zexy for lunch, and mentioned to him what we were doing, and he knew exactly where to find the spell. It requires at least two mermen to focus their energies on a human, but Zexy thinks we could do it with us four. Roxas, are you going to stay, too?"

"No, I think I should go back," Roxas said quietly. His voice wavered.

"You're welcome to stay, Roxas," Sora said.

"We'd like it if you would," Axel spoke lowly, "But if you need to go back, we understand."

Roxas merely nodded.

Demyx and Zexion left shortly after dinner. Sora and Riku retired to their room, and Axel and Roxas went quietly to Axel's room, and spoke to each other in whispers well into the night.


	20. Chapter 20: Faster than I thought

Chapter Twenty: Faster than I thought

The next morning, the kitchen was filled. Sora was excited to perform the spell for Riku, and Demyx was excited to try out new magic. Riku and Zexion kept them in line with quiet requests to stop bouncing around. Roxas and Axel exchanged amused glances.

In the early afternoon, the six journeyed to the surface to perform the spell. Axel, Demyx, Zexion, and Sora formed a square around Riku. Roxas watched from off to the side as Sora began repeated strange words and clicks. A yellowish green glow emitted from his fingertips. Demyx, Zexion, and Axel began repeating one line of clicks and words, and their hands began to glow as well. Demyx's fingers emitted an almost fluid blue light, and Zexion's gave off a pale purple glow. Roxas's attention, however, was shortly focused on Axel, whose hands were engulfed in red fire, which sparked occasionally. The redhead looked relaxed, but in deep concentration. Sora raised his voice and moved his hands towards Riku. The others followed his lead, and soon Riku was engulfed in a pale blue, almost white glow. The glow lifted him up out of the water, then there was a loud pop, and he came crashing down. The light seeped into his skin and Sora rushed to his side.

"How to you feel?" Sora asked, eyeing him completely in search of injury.

"Tired, but somehow…whole," Riku said and drifted asleep in the brunette's arms.

The rest of the day was quiet. All of the mermen were very tired from their exertion of magic. Zexion and Demyx left early, with promises of returning early to say goodbye to Roxas the next day. Roxas made a small supper for himself, Axel, and Sora. Riku was still sleeping.

Roxas and Axel had last night of whispering to each other before sleeping.

"Tell me about your world," Axel said quietly from beside the blond.

"The cities are marvelous. The roads can be dirty, but there is a feeling of community in walking on the streets that everyone walks on. The sun is warm on your skin. The markets smell" Roxas paused to chuckle to himself, "they are a mixture of good and bad smells. Fresh fruit and slightly rotting fish." Roxas paused. "I used to sit out on the roof a tavern every evening to watch the sunset over the city. The streets glistened, reflecting the light. It was peaceful." Roxas remembered why that was so peaceful, not having to run from whomever he stole earlier that day. The warm colors made him forget how cruel the city was. Suddenly, he really wasn't sure if he wanted to go back at all. There wasn't anyone who truly cared for him there.

"I'll miss you," Roxas said, trying to keep his voice even.

"I'll miss you too, so much," Axel replied.

"I'll try to come back," Roxas repeated. The thought of never seeing the redheard again hit him to the core. "I will come back. I won't be able to until the ships start sailing again in the early summer, but I will. Promise me you'll look for me then."

"I promise," Axel said. He kissed the blond on the forehead, then wished him goodnight.

The moment he left the room, Roxas began to cry. Tears silently dissolved into the water around him.


	21. Chapter 21: An End and a Beginning

Chapter Twenty-One: An end and a Beginning

The next morning Roxas felt slightly ill. He knew he didn't sleep very well the night before. He joined the group in the kitchen. Riku smiled warmly to him.

"How do you feel, Riku?" Roxas asked and sat himself down in a chair. He really felt tired and warm, like he had a fever.

"Never better," Riku smiled and squeezed Sora's hand.

Riku began telling Roxas and the rest about two different ships that were passing near to where they were, and heading towards Riku and Roxas's home city.

Roxas listened passively as he picked at his breakfast. The food tasted more bitter than normal. Sora was flitting around the kitchen. As they finished eating, Zexion was the first to say goodbye. He shook the blond's hand and gave him a concerned look, before smiling and letting Demyx say his goodbye. Roxas repeated his promise he made to Axel the night before that he definitely would return. Demyx whispered in his ear, "Hurry back, for Axel," and then he and Zexion left.

"You didn't eat much," Axel said, looking at his young friend with worry and a bit of sadness.

"Yeah, I," Roxas took a deep breath and let in out in a sigh. "I'm not—" Roxas felt dizziness sweep over him. He gripped the table tightly.

"Sora!" Axel said urgently from his position beside the blond. Roxas felt a warm arm encircle his waist.

Sora immediately came over a looked at Roxas. His hands swept over Roxas's face. "You're warmer than usual," Sora remarked, and then gently moved his hands over Roxas's gills on his neck. They were fading.

"We need to get him to the surface, now," Sora said. The three were out the door and swimming upwards. Roxas felt Axel and Sora take each of his sides and guide him towards the immense brightness of the surface. They stopped at about three feet from the surface. On of Riku's ships was nearby.

"I'll miss you," Sora said. The two hugged, although it was a little feeble on the part of the blond.

"Take care of yourself, and don't forget to give those items to my parents," Riku said, and then hugged him quickly.

Axel looked at the blond with sadness. Roxas felt something inside of himself start to break. His breath was erratic, he glanced at his hands and noticed the webbing was fully receded, and his feet hit the water clumsily.

Axel quickly embraced the blond.

"I love you," he whispered into Roxas's ear. Roxas's eyes grew large and his lungs burned. He gave Axel one firm hug, then felt himself being pulled to the surface for air.

Roxas broke the bright surface with a gasp and started coughing and crying.


	22. Chapter 22: Too fast and Too Slow

**a/n: it's almost over. I wanted to give a HUGE thanks for Musical Muffin who betaed the first half or so of this story. I really appreciate all your hard work, muffin-chan!**

**I also want to thank you guys, the readers, for your support, your faves/subs, and reviews. Thank you guys. I really fell out with this story about 6 months ago, but have been pushing myself to finish it up. If i didnt get the occasional "did you stop writing this? NOOO!" or "i really like this story," I may have just let it drop. Here's to you!  
**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-two: Too Fast and Too Slow

"What is that?" one of the men on watch looked down at the water.

"A person? A Merman?" another replied, then took out his spyglass and looked down to see the small person flailing and gasping in the water. "Man overboard!" he cried.

Roxas was hoisted up on the ship. He gasped and sputtered and shook on the deck, and felt very much like a fish out of water. A kind looking and graying captain looked him over, then instructed his men to set up the "kid" in the galley, and that he would talk to him once the "little one" had some time to recover.

Roxas woke up on a scratchy hammock a little later. He stiffly walked towards where the crew was eating. The captain motioned for him to come, then told him to grab some food then sit with him and tell him what he was doing in the water this far from land.

Roxas did as he was told. He was always good at following orders, he mused. He told the captain that his ship had caught fire, and he didn't know what happened to other crewmembers. The captain inquired how long Roxas was in the water, and the blond scratched the back of his neck nervously. He said he couldn't remember—days flowed together and he inhaled a lot of seawater. Roxas prided himself that he didn't have to lie too much to the gentle captain.

The journey took shorter than Roxas expected, but it was an adjustment for him to get used to human food, and walking, and breathing again. Everything sounded different on the ship than from underwater. By the end of the journey, most of the crew thought the saltwater had softened his mind, the way Roxas would seem entranced by the seagulls, or the was idle drops of water rolled around on the sun-beaten wooden planks.

The ship docked early in the morning, and Roxas, without any money to his name, immediately headed to the castle. He spoke with guards and eventually a courtier, who looked over Roxas's shabby appearance with abhorrence. Roxas was tanned and had his characteristic unruly hair, but he also only had the clothes the captain of the ship spared him, which were slightly too big and hung off his lithe frame.

It was roughly two in the afternoon when some servants escorted him to a grand hall where sat the king and queen. Roxas gave them a clumsy bow. He then told them that he and Riku were forced overboard their ship returning from the islands. Roxas offered up the royal crest necklace and signet ring. The king smiled politely and inspected both pieces of jewelry. He thanked Roxas politely and told him he would be compensated for his journey, since he never received his commission upon return, and the king would also reward him handsomely for returning such priceless heirlooms to the crown. Roxas replied that it was the right thing to do, to return such things to the royal family. The queen gave him a very slight, warm smile. Roxas thanked them, but as he was leaving, thought of one last question. He turned abruptly, apologized if he was being rude, and asked about Riku's brother, Sephiroth, and the vizier. The Queen's eyes seemed as distant as ever, and the king replied that both were dead. Roxas apologized once more, and left with a gentleman who would help him claim his reward and commission.

A few months later…

The wind was turning bitterly cold. Roxas wandered the city streets of his once home town. With the money he had received from Riku's royal family for information on their son who was "lost to the sea," Roxas didn't need to steal and live like a street rat as he did for so many years as a child. He took odd jobs to keep himself busy, but often lost himself in the city. He floated down familiar pathways, his body being pulled by a strange physical familiarity, but, on the inside, he felt different than he did only a year before. This wasn't his home any more. He had changed so greatly in his time away, and he no longer found comfort here. The winter froze much, and Roxas felt as if his heart were frozen as well.

Days and months progressed, and Roxas spent more and more time staring of the docks, and the wide expanse of blue. He yearned to see two yellow dots on the horizon as twilight painted the water and sky with hues of red. He missed the smiles, the quiet conversations, and, most of all, the warmth he found in those cool depths.

Spring arrived and thawed the city into a muddy gauntlet. Roxas grew more and more anxious to leave. He felt like part of his soul was scratching through his skin, trying to get out. Roxas began writing down his thoughts. Each morning, he would compose a letter to Axel, telling how he missed the man. Thoughts of the fiery redhead warmed him in the cold spring mornings. At the end of everyday, Roxas would sit at the docks, as usual, and as he would leave, would take his letter, stuff it in a bottle and hurtle it out to see. He knew the redhead would never see the letters, signed "love, Roxas," but he had to do something to reach out into the ocean, which mocked him with silence and always being there, but not within Roxas's grasp.

The days crawled by, and finally an advertisement for out-going ships were posted in the seaman's pub. Roxas signed on for the first one to depart. Later that night, Roxas's airborne bottle held two letters: one from the morning, and one from Roxas in the afternoon, excitedly telling of the upcoming departure.


	23. Chapter 23: Home at Last

Chapter Twenty-Three: Home at Last

Being on the ship felt much more comfortable than the months Roxas spent in the city on land. Perhaps it was because he was back on the ocean, but more likely it was due to the fact that the ship was bringing him to Axel, after over half a year confined to land and absence of the man he loved. Roxas had discovered during the wintertime that he truly did love Axel. He had all along, but didn't realize it until he was far away. Roxas sighed, looking over the bow of the ship, yearning to see the merman, but knowing it would be at least be six weeks before he would be reunited.

Roxas felt more and more anxious. He helped the crew with some chores, but he was a paying customer to be ferried, so nothing was expected of him. Roxas sighed as he looked out into the darkness. He pulled his arms around himself and gave a relaxed sigh.

The ship lumbered on. Every night, Roxas would spend hours gazing out at the ocean. Finally, they were a week away from the island. Roxas had written a note to Axel, and placed it in one final bottle. He planned, if he saw the redhead from the boat, he would throw him the bottle, with instructions inside: he asked Axel to watch for him the morning after the boat made land, and Roxas would swim out to the open ocean and meet Axel there.

Three nights before landfall, Roxas sighed as he watched the inky blackness of the water. The stars reflected brightly, often giving him false hope. Right before Roxas was going to retire for the night. He heart lunged. He stood up straight, keening to hear what he thought he might have. He smiled when he heard clicks, then a pair of rubies appeared a distance from the boat. Roxas's face lit up. He whispered his loved one's name, then threw the bottle with all his might towards the pair of red lights. He smiled when he realized the bottle didn't splash—it was caught. The red orbs dimmed for a moment, the returned to brightness. There was a click, and they disappeared into the water.

For the next two nights, Roxas continued his nighttime vigilance. He could always see Axel's eyes off in the distance. His chest, which had never seemed to thaw from the cold winter, slowly felt warmer from the mere thought of Axel being close.

The ship made dock, and Roxas spent one restless night, keeping up appearances with the crew, before saying goodbye to them all. At sunrise the next morning, Roxas ran to the edge of town, and further outward. He walked slowly into the cool water, feeling the salt and sand beat on his legs and the tops of his feet. Twenty feet out he began swimming. Fifty feet out he kept swimming. A hundred feet out he was still swimming and getting tired. He stopped to catch his breath, nervous Axel wouldn't come. He reached out to start swimming again, when something caught his ankle and pulled him under. Roxas instinctively fought for a split second, but then stilled himself, and opened his eyes in the water. There was his Axel, smiling with a sly grin. Roxas smirked back, then got his revenge. He wrapped his arms around the redhead and firmly kissed him. Axel stiffened with shock, and then relaxed into the kiss. The two broke the surface of the water and Roxas took a deep breath. Sora, Riku, Demyx, and Zexion surface as well, a little distance away from them.

"I love you," Roxas said, staring into the emerald eyes he longed for over the past months.

"I love you too," Axel replied.

"I never want to leave you again. Let's never be apart again," Roxas whispered as he embraced the thin redhead.

"Sounds perfect," Axel smiled.

The spell was cast once again, and Roxas was carried down into the depths of the ocean one final time. He was tired from his long journey home. Axel brought him into their room, and Roxas curled up next to Axel and slept. He dreamt of peaceful, warm dreams, but the feeling of bliss he felt with Axel continued with him whether he was asleep or awake, for the rest of their days.

Fin.

* * *

**a/n: review please! did you like it? did you hate it? are there huge errors somewhere i need to fix? what was your favorite part?  
**


End file.
